ST HELENS coach Royce Simmons believes his side will be without a trio of key men for the Good Friday clash at Wigan after they climbed into second place in the Engage Super League following a 52-6 romp against Wakefield on Friday.
Saints ran in nine tries against the Wildcats to go into the derby in buoyant mood after becoming the first club to win 300 Super League matches. But Simmons revealed Lee Gaskell suffered a suspected fractured ankle, Chris Flannery a torn hamstring and James Graham a sternum injury.
Simmons said: “I can’t see any of them playing over Easter. Shaun Magennis also dislocated his finger and there could also be a break.
“We had a bare 13 players for the last 15 minutes with James Roby ending up at half back. Sol Soliola had to play longer than usual but was fantastic for 80 minutes. Gary Wheeler and Jonny Lomax also did well and Jamie Foster is a good finisher and can turn four points into six.”
Foster piled up 24 points with two tries and eight goals for Saints and Simmons added: “It was a really good performance.”
WIDNES’ inconsistent start to the season continued as they lost 32-12 at Batley.
Wayne Rettie scored two tries for Batley, with Ian Preece, Alex Bretherton, Ash Lindsay and George Flanagan also crossing.
Richard Varkulis and Danny Hulme got the scores for Denis Betts’ Widnes.
SUMMARIES: FRIDAY: Engage Super League: Harlequins RL (10) 26. Tries: Bryan, Clubb 2, Dorn, Ellis. Goals: Gale 3. Castleford (12) 26. Tries: Owen 2, Chase, Clark. Goals: Dixon 5. Att: 4,128 Hull K R (6) 16. Tries: Cook, Mason, Cockayne. Goals: Murrell 2. Wigan (16) 28. Tries: J. Tomkins, Hoffman, Charnley, Leuluai, Carmont. Goals: Richards 4. Att: 8,703 Leeds (0) 6. Tries: Burrow. Goals: Sinfield. Huddersfield (20) 38. Tries: Ferguson 2, McGillvary, Lunt 2, Robinson. Goals: Brough 7. Att: 14,768. St Helens (24) 52. Tries: Foster 2, Lomax, Shenton, Gardner, Wheeler, Wellens, Puletua, Makinson. Goals: Foster 8. Wakefield (0) 6. Tries: Dean. Goals: Griffin. Att: 7,003. Warrington (24) 64. Tries: Hodgson 2, Westwood 2, Williams, Anderson, Atkins 2, Bridge, J. Monaghan, Myler. Goals: Hodgson 10. Crusaders (6) 6. Tries: Hanbury. Goals: Schifcofske. Att: 10,002.
YESTERDAY: The Co-operative Championship: Batley (10) 32. Tries: Rettie 2, Preece, Flanagan, Bretherton, Lindsey. Goals: Handforth 2, Flanagan 2. Widnes (12) 12. Tries: Hulme, Varkulis. Goals: Grady 2. Att: 1,101
