Rugby League: St Helens 10, Leeds 8

Sep 29 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

AUSTRALIAN centre Matt Gidley was the hero as Saints booked their place in next month’s Super League Grand Final with a tense 10-8 victory over Leeds.

The Rhinos dominated the second half of last night’s qualifying semi-final at Knowsley Road and had one last chance to snatch victory when full-back Brent Webb burst clear but was hauled down inches short of the line by a blood-stained Gidley.

“It was a massive tackle,” said Saints coach Daniel Anderson. “You have to make big plays in the game.

“They must have thought it had gone to the right bloke because Webby is so quick and he can always sniff out a try.”

Leeds coach Tony Smith also paid tribute to Gidley, adding: “It was a great effort by him.

“There are not many times when he gets caught. They tackled well and were hard to break down defensively, as we were.

“I was pleased with the effort but we need to be smarter in our next game. We needed to take a couple more chances but hopefully we will have another chance to have a go at them.”

Leeds will face a rematch with Saints at Old Trafford if they beat the winners of today’s sudden-death semi-final between Hull and Wigan in next week’s final eliminator at Headingley.

St Helens have the luxury of another week off after booking a place in their fifth Grand Final at the first attempt, and Anderson admitted they will need it after a bruising clash.

“There were some huge hits,” he said. “They had us on the rack for 20 minutes in the second half and we just hung in there. It’s a tremendous thrill to be at Old Trafford.

“It was a very tough game. You have to be mentally strong to hang in there.”

Anderson also paid tribute to 20-year-old scrum-half Matty Smith, who stepped into the boots of the unfit Sean Long and kicked the match-winning penalty 13 minutes from the end.

“He did tremendously well,” said the coach. “He keeps coming up trumps. These sort of games are the making of a player.

“If Sean isn’t fit for the final, I wouldn’t have any hesitation in putting Matty Smith in there.”