Rugby League: St Helens' gamble pays off

Aug 18 2007 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

ST HELENS coach Daniel Anderson hailed last night’s 32-20 victory at struggling Salford Reds as a ‘huge win’.

St Helens’ gamble in fielding a weakened side paid off as they grabbed a precious win that kept them top of engage Super League and edged Salford nearer the drop.

With an eye on next week’s Challenge Cup final, the holders went into the match without six regulars and looked like paying the price when they trailed 14-12 early in the second half.

Salford scored tries through John Wilshere and Stuart Littler to twice level the scores by half-time and Wilshere’s 50th-minute penalty gave them the lead for the first time.

But two tries in four minutes from James Graham and Keiron Cunningham, however, knocked the stuffing out of brave Salford and spared the champions’ blushes and the win keeps them just ahead of Leeds.

“It was a huge win,” said St Helens coach Daniel Anderson. “Two points are very important at this stage of the year.

“We knew they were desperate but we just had some big plays from some very experienced players at the end of the game.”

Winger Ade Gardner scored two tries and makeshift full-back Matt Gidley got the other, with teenager Stephen Tyrer kicking six goals from six attempts.

Saints also emerged injury free ahead of next Saturday’s Wembley showdown with Catalans Dragons.

The five players who rested knocks last night – Paul Wellens, Sean Long, Willie Talau, Maurie Fa’asavalu and Jon Wilkin – will return, along with the suspended Leon Pryce.

“The only injury we picked up was to one of our youngsters, Chris Dean, who hurt a shoulder on his debut,” said Anderson. “Everyone else is all right.”

The only consolation for the Reds was a defeat for fellow strugglers Hull KR at Leeds but they now look doomed to relegation, needing to win at least two of their last three matches to keep alive their survival hopes.

Salford coach Shaun McRae insisted there is still survival hope for his side despite watching them slip closer to the relegation trap door with a 32-20 defeat by his old club St Helens.

The Reds let slip a 14-12 lead at The Willows against a weakened Saints team and remain three points adrift of Hull KR, who were 34-18 losers at Leeds, with only three matches left of the regular Super League season.

“Not a lot has changed,” said McRae. “We have still got to win at least two of our remaining games.

“If we can play like we did tonight in the next three matches, we have got wins in us. There is no doubt about that.

“I thought it was a tremendous effort and maybe, with an ounce of luck and a bounce of the ball here and there, it could have been a different result.

“In the last few weeks I’ve been critical of my team but tonight we gave as good as we got.

“I’m disappointed with the result because I thought we put in enough effort to get something out of the game.”