| Round 27 Results |
|---|
| Harlequins 22 Warrington 36 |
| Wigan 34 Bradford 12 |
| Catalans 12 Huddersfield 26 |
| Crusaders 30 Hull KR 24 |
| Hull FC 14 Leeds 18 |
| St. Helens 40 Castleford 30 |
| Salford 16 Wakefield 12 |
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| Play-Offs Week 1 Fixtures |
|---|
| QUALIFYING PLAY-OFF |
| Friday 10th September - 8pm (TV) |
| St. Helens v Warrington |
| ------------------------- |
| ELIMINATION PLAY-OFF |
| Saturday 11th September - 3.45pm (TV) |
| Huddersfield v Crusaders |
| ------------------------- |
| ELIMINATION PLAY-OFF |
| Saturday 11th September - 6pm (TV) |
| Hull FC v Hull KR |
| ------------------------- |
| QUALIFYING PLAY-OFF |
| Sunday 12th September - 6.45pm (TV) |
| Wigan v Leeds |
| ------------------------- |
|
|
News Now |
|---|
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|
|
| Day of the Match - 1991-92 - Part One |
DAY OF THE MATCH - 1991-92 - PART ONE
FRIENDLY – Sunday 17th August 1991, 3.00pm
WIDNES 26 ST. HELENS 30
The season gets off to the traditional start, by beating Widnes, and giving us all false optimism for the coming season. Mind you, the way we went about it, could explain why the rate for stress related diseases in St. Helens is significantly higher than the national average! Optimism is, however, much higher this season due to the signings of Sonny Nickle and Anthony Sullivan, although Big Mal let us down once again.
We went to this match by Supporters Club coach, or rather by minibus, as only six of us booked, including Bill, of course. Our image was shattered though as we arrived in what was the St. Augustine’s of Canterbury school minibus. A Widnes policeman told us to park up on a yellow line nearby and he would explain to his comrades why.
Saints got off to a storming start when Quirky raced eighty metres to the line, superbly handing off Alan Tait, en-route. Although the Chemics briefly responded, three tries in ten minutes, through Shadow, Griff and Cooper, gave us a commanding 22-4 half time lead. Alas, Maccer’s traditional half time team talk had its usual effect and we completely lost our way after the interval.
After Widnes had pulled it back to 22-10, one of the terrace wags from behind us shouted to Dave Smith, who was wearing some very tight shorts, “why don’t you just put your trunks on and can you not pull them up any higher?” Smith obliged to which the retort came “I saw that last week in Bondage Monthly!” It brought a few laughs anyway.
Before we knew it, it was back to 22-22. Bateman’s shocking performance hadn’t helped! Cuppa did his crossing party piece, just for a change and we were all at sea! The wags started skitting Joe Grima at this point, to which he replied “this is the only thing you lot will win all year”. Cheeky bugger! Didn’t even look like we were going to win this at the time though, to be fair!
Lockers kicked us ahead at 24-22 before, six minutes from time, we conceded another try and we were behind for the first time in the match. With four minutes to go though, Bish prodded through a kick and Sonny gathered the ball to go home for the winner, on an eventful debut for him, previously having given Grima a good clouting en-route to the sin bin.
We got back to the minibus after the game, only to find out that we had been given a parking ticket. Another sparkling example of communication down at the local constabulary then!
STONES BITTER CHAMPIONSHIP – Sunday 1st September 1991, 3.15pm
HULL 10 ST. HELENS 31
For the second year on the trot, the league campaign opens with a trip to The Boulevard but this time the outcome was totally different as Saints put on a super show to give us real hope for the season ahead.
For the longest trip of the year, on a not exactly spectacularly ventilated coach, it also had to be the hottest day of the year too, providing two hours of maximum discomfort but optimism was rife and this was compounded by a much increased volume of away support.
Just for a change, a group of Hull fans decided to stand in amongst the Saints fans and use provoking behaviour. However, it was most amusing as the old billsk steamed in to escort them out, something which is now par for the course down The Boulevard these days.
It didn’t take long for us to get into our stride against a depleted home side, Griff touching down in the corner. Two tries later, courtesy of Veivers and Hunte and we were coasting it, even though our friend from Wembley, Jim Smith, was penalising us for offside at every possible opportunity but it was 14-8 to the Saints side at half time.
The second half started with us under some severe pressure but we were also guilty of squandering some great chances ourselves, although Sully was a little unlucky. Stupid mistakes were the order of the day though, once again, and this will have to be improved upon if we are to mount a serious challenge.
After Cooper’s dröp goal relieved the pressure, we turned the screw. Young Sprog touched down in the corner, like a true wing man, who was on in place of the injured (again) Sullivan; the new Paul Loughlin? Tea Ropati finished off a marvellous move and Grovesy touched down under the posts deep into injury time.
At the hooter, the lads got a tremendous reception from the Saints faithful, and they had earned it. Special mentions for Bish and Cooper, who set up all six tries between them and Griff also looked sharp but his mouth cost him a sin-binning. It even looks likes we could do really well this season, although you never can be too confident can you? One thing is for sure, after a great season last year, Hull are now basically crap.
STONES BITTER CHAMPIONSHIP – Sunday 8th September 1991, 3.00pm
ST. HELENS 27 WARRINGTON 20
Five months on since we were last at Knowsley Road and it’s back where we left off, with a win against the Wire, if not exactly in the same style.
Before the game I sold copies of The Director, which went like hot cakes before entering the ground to see McEwan’s put on a gala day to mark their new sponsorship with none other than Vince Miller, with his trendy white suit, opening proceedings. Has that guy no shame at all? Bill was absent from the terraces as he now has to wear his suit and tie to entertain all the sponsors and such like and can’t be seen to scuff up his best gear swaying down the terraces. He now sits with “those that know nowt about rugby” up in the seats.
It was obvious from early on that we were not the force of last week and, after sterile rugby on our behalf, soon found ourselves trailing 6-0. Sonny then carried about four players twenty yards in scoring a great try and Shadow followed it up with a second. It was 8-8 thanks to Lockers not having his kicking boots on and as one of the Presentables commented, “no more blue movies for you”, in reference to his free video rental for every goal kicked.
At half time, we led the red and greens 12-8 and God only knows why they played in that ghastly away strip as surely red and green is more of a clash than yellow and blue.
Soon into the second half, we trailed 12-14 and deservedly so as Wire had hardly made a mistake and when Lockers got crippled again, it was beginning to look like curtains. Unusually though, at this point, the Saints fans got behind the team and a penalty and a Bish dröp goal put us a point into the lead. Then Shadow’s superb try and the resultant conversion put us safe and into a seven point lead. Now isn’t it a disgrace when someone like Paul Eastwood is in the Britain side and a class winger like Alan Hunte doesn’t get a look in? Come and watch us for a change Mal!
Veivers rubbed salt in the Warrington wounds to make it 27-14 before Dessie scored a consolation, superbly converted by Lyon, to give the score a more realistic look about it.
An excellent turn out of 10,277 on a hot, sunny day produced a lot of noise and why can’t they always be like that? If they are, who knows what we can achieve?
GREENALLS LANCASHIRE CUP 1ST ROUND – Sunday 15th September 1991, 3.15pm
ST. HELENS 104 TRAFFORD BOROUGH 12
When Saints beat Carlisle 112-0, it was said to be a once in a lifetime event. Five years on and it has happened game as the Saints hit the century mark against their hapless Third Division opponents. John missed his first home game for ages as he was puking his guts up and what a time to be ill.
The small crowd was actually giving the team a bit of stick early on as we led only 8-6. Maccer’s team selection, lacking a recognised goal kicker seemed to be backfiring. It was soon after that the big marauding Trafford No.11 felled Veivers with the most disgraceful head high tackle that you ever seen, yet he somehow stayed on the park. Veivers did not know what day it was. Just to prove how bad the refereeing standards are these days, he then sent off one of their players for a much less severe challenge on Shadow.
At this point, Saints hit the accelerator button with three quick-fire tries from Connolly, Ropati and Groves and it was 42-6 at half time and, even though Bernie was kicking the goals, I said to The Director that I thought we could top the hundred.
Four tries in quick succession saw us maintain the flow as I moved from my usual perch to behind the sticks as that’s where all the action would be. There then followed a barren spell of seven or eight minutes and the crowd actually got a bit restless as Trafford had the nerve to have some possession. There then followed another blitz of tries, with Shadow completing his hat-trick and it was 94-6 with eleven minutes still to go. Surely we couldn’t fail to hit three figures now!
An agonising spell followed in which Borough scored. However, with two minutes left, Sully scored his third but Bernie hooked the kick wide and, at 98-12, it had been oh so close. Then, in injury time, Trafford gave away a silly penalty in our 25 and several passes later, Quirky narrowly squeezed past the full back at the corner and ran along behind the posts to the wild celebrations of the crowd.
You could sense that Saints felt a little embarrassed about what they had done to Trafford but it gave us all something that we will remember for the rest of our lives.
STONES BITTER CHAMPIONSHIP – Sunday 22nd September 1991, 3.00pm
SWINTON 12 ST. HELENS 16
Well, they all count I suppose but if we’d have been playing anyone remotely decent, we would have got stuffed, although it has to be said that the back line was severely depleted with the loss of Veivers, Hunte and Griffiths, although Paul Loughlin did actually manage a full thirteen minutes before going off injured; a rare event indeed!
With a bitterly cold wind, easy kicks became hard and ball handling was difficult although Mexicano does take things to the limit sometimes and ironic cheers erupted at one point when he actually caught the ball.
I was supposed to be going with John but the clown failed to turn up for the bus and I thought better of standing with Bill as he could be heard spouting off in the usual fashion, infuriating many a Swinton fan nearby and one actually stated that he was going to “gob him”.
Young Darren O’Brien was making only his second appearance, on as a sub for Loughlin, obviously helped by his much publicised set-to with Steve Molloy in Friday’s Alliance match and he was soon at it again, fists a flying. However, he made an excellent contribution and, in fact, scored Saints first try.
Cuppa increased the lead to 10-0 and it looked like a cakewalk. However, once again, we were being lulled into a false sense of security. Connolly badly missed a tackle to allow the impressive winger, Ranson, to score on half time and a penalty narrowed the lead to 10-8. The Lions got their just desserts when Garner scored, with fifteen minutes remaining, and acute embarrassment was staring us in the face.
We had not been helped by a mystifying performance from Mr. Crashley, the referee. Our first try had come from a knock on when the ball hadn’t even been touched, something that also happened to us and Wardy’s 45 degrees forward pass was hilarious.
I still had one of those feelings that we would win and victory was sealed late on when the excellent Bish dived home under the sticks, converting his own try. We had to sustain some late pressure but hung on. It was a poor performance but I suppose it’s the result that counts.
GREENALLS LANCASHIRE CUP 2ND ROUND – Thursday 26th September 1991, 7.30pm
ST. HELENS 39 OLDHAM 26
Saints moved into the Semi-Finals with a less than convincing performance against Second Division, Oldham but, who cares, we are in the last four and that is all that matters.
I had to attend the match on my own again as I was supposed to be meeting John there but, not for the first time, he somehow failed to make an appearance and I wonder if he would get anywhere if I didn’t hold his hand for him.
It was quite packed up amongst the lads when Oldham took the field in a jazzy blue and white striped affair, although viewing, even of the restricted kind, was difficult with that monster stood in front of me conversing with the Watts Twins.
Straight from the kick off, Tanner dröpped the ball and, you know, he is not bad at centre but he can’t catch the ball to save his life.
As per usual, we started off with the old butter fingers and allowed McAllister to carry four defenders over the line. We eventually clawed it back to 6-6 but, from nowhere, Lord scored an unbelievable eighty yards try, leaving Connolly, Quirk and Tanner for dead. However, by the interval, we led 16-10 thanks to Big John and Young Sprog.
Mark Bailey is now the butt of much terrace criticism and, after a rare good run, one of the Presentables (Maccer) felt he deserved a bit of stick and shouted “never mind, you’ll be centre stage in a minute, you comedian”. I think I will stand next to him every week. Nearly every comment was hilarious.
In the second half, Saints took control with Bernie actually side stepping before touching down. Yet another barnstorming run from Georgie set up Cuppa for a try but I do wish he‘d start to control that wild, aimless passing though. A blatant forward pass allowed Oldham back into the game via ex-Saint, Paul Round but Darren O’Brien scored in the corner and we led easily by 31-16. The best of the night was left for Bish, who chipped over the defence before re-gathering and scoring, although he was knocked out in the process. Surely he has been our best signing in years and he cost nothing as well. Up yours, Warrington! Oldham did score two late tries but it was not a bad result for an injury hit side.
Young Sprog is developing into an excellent centre and will Lockers be able to force his way back into the team?
The Semi-Final draw gave us the one we wanted; Wigan at home. We’re going to have to beat them in the end so the best chance is on our own patch. With Rochdale or Carlisle awaiting the winners, surely this is the final already.
STONES BITTER CHAMPIONSHIP – Sunday 29th September 1991, 6.15pm
ST. HELENS 25 CASTLEFORD 14
When you see performances like this, you wonder if there is anyone who can stop us winning the league? This performance would suggest not. Saints, fielding a team that was missing eight member of the first choice line up, tore apart fellow Championship contenders, Cas, in a dream display before a late comeback from the visitors and all live on Sky TV too.
Went to the game without John again, and that’s the red card now, but had a chat with The Director who showed me a hilarious article about Bill that will be in the next issue and the man won’t be happy. The same could be said about Lockers, who read my satirical article on him in The Director and was not amused. Soft shit!
The game started off at a frightening pace in a hard, scoreless, opening 25 minutes. Bish dröpped a goal and was then felled disgracefully, off the ball, by that ugly carthorse, Lee Crooks.
We started to turn on the style just before the interval though with Quirky and The Cat scoring and it was 13-0 at the change around. Soon after the restart, Cooper and debutant, Mike Riley scored and, with the superb goal kicking of Dave Tanner, we led 25-0. An unbelievable scoreline considering the circumstances!
The atmosphere on the terraces had to be experienced to be believed as we sensed we were witnessing something special. Even Weaver was back on form, jumping up and down in embarrassing fashion and leading the chants of “Always look on the bright side of life” which, due to my footballing allegiances, I refused to join in with.
With Saints coasting it, Cas’ strong arm tactics came to the fore with that animal, Crooks, making his second visit to the bin although, unfortunately, Georgie and Cooper joined him and Cas staged a late fightback and our, otherwise, superb defence, conceded three sloppy tries. However, that was to be expected with several players playing with injuries and therefore tiring.
The players got a tremendous ovation at the end of the game but it would be a little nicer if more than just Bish and Cooper came over to show their appreciation.
Halifax away next and it could prove a real pointer to our potential. However, with our injuries, we could be forgiven for losing. If we play like that without Veivers, Hunte, Loughlin, Sullivan, Griffiths, Neill, Groves and Nickle, though, what will we be like when they are all back?
STONES BITTER CHAMPIONSHIP – Sunday 6th October 1991, 3.00pm
HALIFAX 26 ST. HELENS 6
Well, those Championship hopes look rather thin on the ground after this astonishingly woeful display against the Yorkshiremen.
We arrived at the ground at 2.15pm and, as usual, Bill had to talk to all the players and their girlfriends and he just so happened to bump into my old mate Lockers, who apparently was not too thrilled with my article in The Director. If only he had known who I was! He also happened to have a word with referee, John Holdsworth who, apparently, hates Robin Whitfield. Who doesn’t?
Saints started off at a furious pace but tackles were being missed and the writing was on the wall. Wilson scored in the corner and we trailed 4-0. It might have helped if Holdsworth had given them offside a few times or penalised them for their constant fouling around the play-the-ball.
Cooperman limped off and that’s where all our trouble started although Veivers scored to put us 6-4 in front but that was the last of our resistance. Two penalties put Fax in front at half time and deservedly so.
The second half was a complete embarrassment as there was a complete lack of penetration and ideas. Quirky lost the ball whilst diving over and collected a serious injury in the process before Sully made an unbelievable saving tackle on Mark Preston. Karl Harrison then dröpped the ball whilst putting the ball down for a try but the writing was on the wall. Our shambolic display got what it deserved as the home side ran in three late tries and the points had been well and truly secured.
On the way home, to compound it all, the coach driver got completely lost as we ended up down some long and winding country lanes but at least we had had a beautiful scenic tour of the Pennine hills.
Our confidence of last week has been pretty much shattered and, thanks to picking up no less than five more injuries, our chances against Wigan in Thursday night’s semi-final, must be bordering on slim to none.
GREENALLS LANCASHIRE CUP SEMI-FINAL – Thursday 10th October 1991, 7.30pm
ST. HELENS 28 WIGAN 16
Was this or was this not the finest day in my Saints supporting career? Saints, with Cooper, Harrison, Nickle, Quirk, Hunte, Loughlin and Griffiths missing, and with a half-fit Kevin Ward, didn’t just beat World Champions, Wigan, we murdered them!
For the injury reasons, I started the day with ultimate pessimism but, along with the rest of the lads, decided that maximum exercise of the vocal chords was necessary and the singing started half an hour before the kick off with Baldrick leading the chants of “where’s your Hanley gone?” By kick off, the crowd was properly swaying down the terraces as the fraught atmosphere built up to a crescendo.
After only four minutes, The Cat plummeted over and there was an unbelievable party on the terraces. The next half hour saw some of Saints finest defensive work for years as the game was constantly played out in our 25 but the Pies failed to break through. Then, with five minutes to the half time hooter, Young Sprog made a great break before interchanging passes with Mike Riley for our second try and it was 10-0. Unbelievably, just two minutes later, the superb Tanner made fifty yards, dragging Hampson with him, before breaking clear and giving Sully the try. 14-0 and we couldn’t believe it.
The crowd were at fever pitch during the interval in, what has to be said, is the finest atmosphere I have ever experienced at a Rugby League match. Alan Hunte was stood on the camera stand looking down at the lads, who responded by singing his name and have you ever seen such an embarrassed individual in all your life.
Within minutes, the impressive Riley bamboozled the Wigan defence to touch down and it was 18-0. Wigan briefly responded through Panapa but when Bernie touched down from the base of the scrum it was all over at 24-6. The Pies got frustrated and started throwing the ball about aimlessly, with Gregory particularly crap and they had lost the plot. Two dröp goals and a penalty gave the score greater significance before Sully dröpped the ball with a clear run to the posts begging.
The Pie-eaters started the famous Wigan Walk and wouldn’t you, when the team they had expected to win, had had their arses whooped by half a team? They did score two late tries to give the scoreline a closer look than the game really merited but, who cares, we are in the final, which we should win, against Rochdale, and we have also proved that we are up there with the best in the land. We love you Saints!
STONES BITTER CHAMPIONSHIP – Sunday 13th October 1991, 3.00pm
ST. HELENS 30 BRADFORD NORTHERN 12
A none too impressive performance from the Saints but, as it was only three days after the Wigan game, they can be forgiven for that. However, it must be said that Northern were nothing more than a bunch of comedians and are staring down the barrel of a relegation battle if that was anything to go by.
Saints took the field to rapturous applause. Thanks to Thursday evening’s performance and it’s just a pity that the same could not be said of the visitors, whose supporters probably failed to fill a 52 seater. It was definitely a case of ‘after the Lord Mayor’s Show’ though, on and off the field, where the atmosphere was like a morgue.
It didn’t take long for test class centre, Connolly to touch down and it looked like it would be easy. Player coach (not for long), David Hobbs, the Bradford prop, was smashed to pieces in a crunch tackle from Jon Neill and Young Sprog then bundled him into touch in what was a nightmare all round for him. They can’t get Peter Fox in soon enough!
Three further tries from Georgie, Grovesy and crowd favourite, Sully, saw us into a commanding half time lead but the first twenty minutes of the second half were a bit embarrassing as Northern fought back and if they had been half the team of recent years, they would have run in a few tries.
After The Cat was substituted, things looked up (more than a coincidence!) and star of the future, Mike Riley, brushed off the feeble Roger Simpson to touchdown and a storming break by Cuppa put Young Sprog into acres of space and he had a cup of tea, a slice of cake and a chat with his grandmother before touching the ball down.
I left early to get in the queue for the Lancashire Cup Final tickets and whose stupid idea was it to host the final at Wilderspool, and who’s even dafter idea was it to sell tickets directly after the game, so everyone who wanted to be sure of one had to leave the ground way before the end?
I was a little disturbed to see that Rochdale won 48-12 away at Workington and there are still seeds of doubt ahead of next week’s final. Not even Saints could let us down now, could they?
GREENALLS LANCASHIRE CUP FINAL – Sunday 20th October 1991, 3.00pm
(at Wilderspool, Warrington)
ROCHDALE HORNETS 14 ST. HELENS 24
At last, a piece of silverware on the mantelpiece but, boy, were we made to earn it as the Hornets shocked the Saints with a magnificent performance that had us more than a little worried for a fair share of the proceedings.
Both ends of the ground were filled with Saints fans, as we hoped for our first trophy in three and a half years, and there was just the odd sprinkling of Rochdale fans at the Railway End. The poor souls tried to get behind their team but their strained, out of tune cry of “Hornets, Hornets” was little short of an embarrassment.
From the first minute, Saints piled on the pressure, with the high kick causing major difficulties, but somehow the break just would not come. With the Hornets first attack, Ronnie Duane scorched down the touchline to make it 4-0. The Saints fans, at the Railway End, were at their vociferous best though and were rewarded when Bish scored a try in the corner. However, after another catalogue of missed chances, Darren Abram scored and we trailed 10-4. By now, I was getting more than a little nervous although Veivers pulled it back to 8-10 at the interval. Poor kicking from Tanner and Bishop costing us a half time lead!
For the second half, I switched ends and stood near to Weaver and he was in the most jovial mood that I had ever seen, which is saying something. As he bounced up and down in front of the masses, chants of “Weaver, Weaver” rang around and his rendition of Russ Abbott’s “Oh What an Atmosphere” had to be heard to be appreciated.
Soon after the restart, Veivers crossed and from there on, there was only going to be one winner. The Hornets cocked up a scrum and Georgie pounced on the ball to score, much to the derision of that little arse, Brett Clark. Mike Kuiti brought them back in it at 20-14 down, and our defence must tighten because three attacks had yielded three tries, but Georgie Mann, who was at his blockbusting best, sealed the game and a trophy was finally on the mantelpiece.
Shane Cooper went up to collect the trophy and our fans sang their hearts out. Rochdale received a tremendous ovation from our fans too, with their prop forwards Humphries and Marsden outstanding, and they should be back in the top flight again next year. The players brought the cup round in the lap of honour with Jeannette Smith holding up the cup whilst on Grovesy’s shoulders. Phil Veivers led the crowd’s chants and amidst sore throats and aching arms, from all the applauding, we lapped it all up. After the game, in the car park, two Saints supporters went a touch OTT when, from the boot of the car, they pulled out a large bottle of champagne and unleashed it with maximum force.
One trophy down and four to go! St. Helens are back!
STONES BITTER CHAMPIONSHIP – Sunday 23rd October 1991, 7.30pm
ST. HELENS 25 SALFORD 16
Saints kept up the pressure on leaders Widnes with a close win and a pretty poor performance to say the least but, only three days after a Cup Final win, we must not grumble too much.
I had the distinction of being one of the first people in the ground, even before the person who switches the floodlights on! It’s a pity that the police or stewards weren’t ready either or those two scoundrels who somehow scaled the barbed wire behind the Main Stand would have been kindly escorted from the ground.
The absent players paraded the Lancashire Cup around the ground, before the game, to enthusiastic applause from our loyal supporters. Mind you, as usual, the part-timers couldn’t be bothered to turn up and it’s a disgrace when a big, reasonably successful club like us can’t even pull in 7,000 three days after a cup final success.
Sonny was back in the side after his lengthy absence but Griff was unable to return due to the forthcoming Welsh international. Sort this stupidity out will you please, the Rugby League!
We started off in our usual casual manner, allowing Salford to take a 6-0 lead. As the crowd grew increasingly restless though, Young Sprog showed his international centre class in scoring our first try and you have just got to pick him for the Papua New Guinea match, Mal. To think that I didn’t use to rate this guy!
A ninety yard interchange, just two minutes later, ended with Veivers kick through and Cuppa touching down and Veivers again chipped over the defence and re-gathered to score and we led by 14-12 at half time.
The first twenty minutes of the second half were worrying as we failed to capitalise on chances with Cooper at his terrible worst. However, Bish won the scrum against the feed for the third time and the move ended with Tanner scoring in the corner. The crowd swayed badly with several of the new breed of younger lads ending up sprawling on the floor.
Grovesy showed a touch of class with an outrageous sidestep to seal the game at 25-12 but we conceded a traditional last minute try to make the score less respectable, but two points in the bag with all our injuries is not bad.
Sonny crippled himself again and is he another Paul Loughlin? Sunday’s visit to Headingley sees our absentee list at a peak with Griff and Sully on international duty, Connolly and Riley, perhaps, playing for the under 21s and Sonny and Wardy out as well as the rest. God knows what sort of team we will have out if Bish gets his suspension!
STONES BITTER CHAMPIONSHIP – Sunday 27th October 1991, 3.00pm
LEEDS 8 ST. HELENS 8
This has to be, in the end, looked at as a point lost rather than a point gained as Saints, minus several stars including Bishop, murdered a depleted and poor quality Leeds side yet threw away the point, whilst down to twelve men, over the closing stages.
The coach journey was rather a strange one as the normal St. Helens dialect was replaced by the Gallic tones of a French exchange school party. The dotty women at the back of the coach were in their element, singing away and basically showing off in any way imaginable.
Alan Hunte was back from injury, at centre, and looked very impressive and it was no surprise, at 2-0 up, when the Loiners dröpped the ball for the umpteenth time and Shadow streaked away to score underneath the posts. Tanner converted and it was 8-0. The large contingent of Saints fans were in boisterous mood and Weaver, who wore a large Australian hat complete with corks, danced merrily up and down the terraces. Young Sprog lost the ball whilst touching down, it was looking surprisingly easy and the home side were loudly booed off at the interval.
The opening period of the second half is when we really blew it though. Shadow’s disallowed try was a perfectly good one, when he clearly touched down before he hit the corner flag. If this costs us the league then you had better flee the country, Galtress! Then, the same man was tackled just short of the line and appeared to do his knee in again. It looked a shocker and if it’s as bad as it appeared it could be a snapped cruciate ligament and, please God no, but careers are in jeopardy if that is the case. His season could be over at the very least. Quirky then pranced about when he should have run straight for the line and how we were to rue those missed chances!
With thirteen minutes left, Mike Riley was stupidly sin-binned and in his spell on the bench, Leeds scored two tries, both in his corner, although Irving couldn’t find his kicking boots and it was still 8-8. Although we managed to stop a dröp goal, we dröpped a mighty clanger by not opting to kick for goal from 45 yards with two minutes left. We kicked for touch and that bloody clown, Paul Forber, lost the ball on the first tackle. All in all, we would have settled for this score before the game but I am well pissed off about it now.
Bill’s European relations exercise with the French lads, on the way home, was cringe-worthy to say the least and quite how he escaped without getting his face kicked in, I’ll never know!
STONES BITTER CHAMPIONSHIP – Sunday 3rd November 1991, 3.30pm
WAKEFIELD TRINITY 20 ST. HELENS 12
It was one of those forgettable days that you will remember for the rest of your life, as Saints crashed to defeat in atrocious conditions at Belle Vue, to deliver a hammer blow to our Championship ambitions.
I travelled with just my Saints top and coat, completely forgetting what the weather in that hole called West Yorkshire can really be like. Travelling over the Pennines, some of the darkest clouds I have ever seen developed and you could see the hailstones pelting down over Halifax, in the distance. At the ground, it was merely doing the horizontal rainfall as Bill and I took refuge in a Programme Shop. I bought two, which cost me a mighty 6p. Being the kind soul that I am, I gave the woman behind the counter 10p and asked her to keep the change. In the ground, we decided to sit in the stand, not just because of the appalling conditions but because the view is crap anyway. I have to say, it’s the coldest I have been in years.
Saints took the field minus Wardy but I was just a smidge premature on the Alan Hunte score (career might be over and all that) as trotted out in the No.4 shirt. Egg firmly splattered on face!
It looked easy early on as Quirky dived over and we should have had a penalty try when Michael Jackson crocked him off the ball. Then, it all started to go wrong. Cooper’s cock up let in Conway for a try, then Wacko Jacko showed unbelievable pace for a forward to make it 8-6, and if he is not Britain’s top Rugby League star in a few years time, I will eat my proverbial hat. Even though we had loads of pressure, we couldn’t score, although referee, Steve Cross, had not helped with his appalling performance.
The second half saw us do what we do best, spilling possession constantly and missing tackles as they raced 18-6 ahead. We got an unbelievable try when Ropati knocked the ball about ten feet forward, clearly with his hand, and Veivers picked the ball up to score. Crossy allowed it! You are a disgrace, you stupid bald git! However, it was all too late and our Championship hopes were severely dented.
Typically, the coaches parked up on the moors and we had to leg it through the freezing wind and rain to get to the coach. Just as we had warmed our hands up, we got caught in a heavy snowfall on the M62 and had a nice one hour traffic jam as we ploughed through, with obviously the heating only working if the bloody coach was actually moving. At this point, Eric Idle sang “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” on the radio and if only we could. Bill moaned all the way home about his aches and pains and his soon to be infamous kidney infection. I don’t know, some people, ‘whinge, whinge, whinge!’
STONES BITTER CHAMPIONSHIP – Sunday 10th November 1991, 3.00pm
ST. HELENS 38 HULL KINGSTON ROVERS 15
Another two points secured on the Championship charge but a rather flattering scoreline, to say the least, as Saints struggled to get out of first gear.
The superb November weather took effect once more. John (making a rare guest appearance) and I were selling The Director, as the rain decided to pour down and, by the time we had entered the ground, we were wetter than Robert Maxwell after a slight chest pain (the ‘esteemed’ Mirror tycoon having plummeted into the sea after a heart attack). The Rovers fans were in their usual festive mood, below the Saints fans, with the fat git wearing the double glazed gigs particularly boisterous.
Rovers looked awful in the early stages despite a Chatfield dröp goal and Dwyer charged down for Veivers to score. Further tries, from Bernie himself and Shadow put us well in command at 16-1. Rovers substituted that clown Paul Vannatt, who couldn’t catch a cold, and brought on that Welsh git, David Bishop who hadn’t won any friends by sticking the vees up to the Scaff before the game and Georgie was none too impressed either as the fat git landed blows to his face. He wants banning for life and I know of a certain Charlie McAllister who might agree (Bishop having smashed the Oldham player’s face to pieces in a shocking tackle earlier in the season).
The second half saw Saints fall asleep as Rovers pulled it back to 22-15. Quirky, who had lost the ball with increasing regularity, lost it again over his own line, allowing Troy Tempest to score, the No.5 board was promptly raised by Frankie Barrow and surely his days at Knowsley Road are numbered. I couldn’t understand why Sully wasn’t playing, anyway. The superbly named, Bright Sodje, capped off a great move to score and with just seven points in it, it was starting to look a little worrying.
Paul Fletcher tackled Cuppa around the neck and was dispatched to the dressing room and that was the turning point as we ran in three late tries via an excellent fifty yarder from Mexicano, Big John and the once again superb Gary Connolly.
It’s Regal trophy action next week and a tricky visit to Huddersfield. Normally, this would be seen as a straightforward clash but I wonder if a certain Mr. A.J. Murphy could have a thing or two to say about that?
REGAL TROPHY 1ST ROUND – Sunday 17th November 1991, 1.10pm
HUDDERSFIELD 10 ST. HELENS 32
Saints go through to the last sixteen of the Regal Trophy following a, in the end, comfortable victory at Fartown in a game that looked set not to last the distance, due to the density of the fog shrouding the ground at one point. Luckily it cleared in the second half and Saints were allowed to progress without too much undue stress.
It was one of those typical Yorkshire away games played in typical Yorkshire weather. Huddersfield is a typical Yorkshire town that appears to have remained unaltered since about 1915. Walking up the winding roads, with the stone houses, one could almost see Grandad when he were a lad. The ground made Halifax’s look modern with a barrelled roof behind the posts, a pavilion like main stand, a massive open bank of terracing, which was twice as big in its heyday and a cinder banking behind the other posts. The closed down bit of terracing in the corner was unbelievable with steps of at least three feet in depth, made of a series of stones with a slab on top. One could almost picture Albert Rosenfeld haring down the wing supported by Harold Wagstaffe.
The kick off was delayed to 1.10pm (thanks Sportscast) due to the last minuters but, within a few minutes, Sully had scorched in for a super try, which Quirky would never have scored, and when Mike Riley breezed in for a try it looked like a romp. However, the home side, led by the ‘Messiah’ would not lay down and die and the strains of the home fans, bizarrely shouting ‘Come on Fartown’, were more than just in a little bit of hope.
As the first half progressed, the fog started to come down and, by the time Fartown had pulled a score back, you could hardly see the other end of the pitch and it looked like the game may well get abandoned.
For the second half, we moved onto the cinder banking to see Saints attack that way and, luckily, the fog started to clear. That ‘Chimpton’ who wears glasses and weighs about twenty stones, started to jump up and down in front of one of the TV cameras, like a right pilchard, and the look of disgust on the cameraman’s face was a picture to behold.
The second half commenced with us well in control and Young Sprog, Bish, Shadow and Bernie all scored tries and after one of the conversions the Chimpton caught the ball and him and his mates (Dave Howarth included) started jumping up and down and making general clowns of themselves. Wally Gibson scored a late try for them and, once again, we had conceded double figures but not a bad result at the end of the day.
Quote of the day from Billy Bates, after John Harrison fell over Robin Whitfield and Bill screamed out, “I hope you get four matches for that Whitfield”. How everybody laughed!
REGAL TROPHY 2ND ROUND – Sunday 24th November 1991, 3.00pm
OLDHAM 18 ST. HELENS 24
Saints go through to the quarter finals after a marvellous match at the ‘What-a-shed’ but we don’t half have this uncanny knack of putting you through all sorts of unnecessary agonies.
The Coach No.1 was not the same, as there was no Bill, and was full of the Coach No.2 regulars, although aren’t Mr. St. Helens’ facts and figures so entertaining? There was an appearance by Baldrick, complete with his ‘Reidy mac’, but things were soured by me getting the short straw and getting stuck next to Slobby Bobby again.
The Saints fans filled the covered end and created the kind of atmosphere that is usually only associated with being in the Railway End at Warrington.
Shadow touched down to round off a super move early on and with Bish’s touchline conversion, I fancied it was going to be easy. We should have known better! Saints then went through their traditional mad ten minutes, conceding two tries and making some embarrassing missed tackles. . What the bloody hell was Georgie playing at? Missing tackles, fumbling passes, you name it! When he’s crap, he’s a tragedy! On the stroke of half time though, Shadow scored his second and it was 10-10, not too bad considering that Holdsworth was having yet another anti-Saints day.
Early in the second half, we botched a hat full of chances before an incredible sequence of events where, three times, with the line gaping, their left centre and Richard Irving contrived to cock it up with Irving dröpping it each time, although two of them were down to awful passes. If those chances had all been taken, then it would have been curtains.
The, once again, superb Cuppa put us 16-10 in front then, the try of the day, season, lifetime even, which started deep inside our own 25 and, ten passes later, ended with Quirky haring forty yards down the right for a wondrous try. Bill got a bit over enthusiastic shouting out, about twenty times, “that was a super try” and can you believe he was effing and blinding the way he was, stood next to his old man? I was embarrassed, let alone his dad!
Cuppa scored another try but did not respond to the chants of “Tea, give us a wave” and some people weren’t happy. In fact, the people in front of us had been slagging off all the players in turn, especially Cooper, and I wish that lot just wouldn’t bother turning up.
Oldham scored two tries in the last couple of minutes to give the score a more realistic reflection and it’s going to be tough in the last eight, whoever we play.
REGAL TROPHY QUARTER FINAL – Sunday 1st December 1991, 3.00pm
ST. HELENS 30 BRADFORD NORTHERN 12
Saints cantered into the semi-finals against basement club, Bradford, although I wish we would stop taking it easy against these sort of teams in the latter stages of games.
On the bus, on the way to the match, we saw the Barrow team coach parked up at the side of the road with the driver furiously scratching his head, obviously lost on the way to Hoghton Road which, to be fair, is not difficult. On the terraces, there was a return of a prodigal son, Nick Morley, after a couple of years absence and, coincidently, a couple of members of the old billsk were positioned on the Scaff for the first time in ages.
Another one of Mike McClennan’s party pieces surfaced in the opening few minutes as Bish kicked the ball over his head, from a penalty, with Shadow running passed the bemused visitors for a great try. Saints were throwing the ball about with great skill and Northern were looking every bit as woeful as they did in the league game. It was no surprise then when Cooper touched down under the sticks and Shadow kicked through and touched down for a 20-2 half time lead. It looked easy and we thought we would get at least fifty points.
However, as has become the tradition this season, we slackened off the pace in the second half, knowing that we had got the game won. We did get two more tries through Cooper and Shadow completed his hat-trick. Shadow’s scoring rate has still not been affected despite his switch to centre and Mal, if you want to win the Ashes, Alan’s your man!
Bernie and Cuppa were both substituted and got a tremendous ovation from the crowd. Bernie is the most under rated player in the game and has become a firm favourite on the Popular Side. Cuppa, after a slow start, has also become a crowd favourite and let’s hope we keep him on our overseas quota next year. Cooper can go though! Georgie, though, was given the man of the match, much to the disbelief of the crowd, and it seems that he only has to turn up to get it these days and it’s a slur on the other players.
Bradford scored two late tries through ‘Shane’ MacGowan and we botched several opportunities to score, although referee, Morris, did not go down too well disallowing tries at will and will we ever get a decent referee out there?
Wednesday night, sees a tough visit to Featherstone and we simply have to win if we seriously want to win this league. I don’t know why, but I have a funny feeling that we won’t.
STONES BITTER CHAMPIONSHIP – Wednesday 4th December 1991, 7.30pm
FEATHERSTONE ROVERS 8 ST. HELENS 6
There is no way on earth that this St. Helens side is going to win the Championship. At the start of the season, we set a target that we could afford to dröp eleven points if we were going to end up Champions and we have dröpped seven already. When you consider our three defeats have been against Halifax, Wakefield and Featherstone, then you can draw your own conclusions. What happens when we play the likes of Wigan and Widnes?
I missed my first game of the season since the same fixture back in January due to me already having tickets for a Pogues concert before this was re-arranged and what a good decision it was. I knew nothing about the result as I was at Manchester Apollo where Shane MacGowan was not missed as much as feared with Joe Strummer a more than adequate replacement. It was only when I arrived home that the evening was somewhat ruined as I looked at the score on teletext.
Fev took the lead with an early penalty but Saints, playing without Wardy, with a back injury, and Shadow, with bruised ribs, replied with an eighty yard move between Cuppa and Quirky giving the latter a try. However, Newlove beat poor tackling to go half the length of the field to give Rovers an 8-4 half time lead.
The second half saw Saints, incredibly, camp in their opponents half for a full 32 minutes yet only have a Bishop penalty to show for our troubles. The nearest we came was when The Cat was held up on his back over the line. Now, we are going to get the old story about how we were robbed again but it’s been the same all season. We put the opponents under loads of pressure, yet continually fail to make it pay and it’s not good enough. Featherstone are notorious for their slack defence and had lost their previous six games in the league so I don’t want to hear all this codswallop about Fev’s great defence.
If the teams behind Saints win their game in hand then we will dröp to fourth and if we don’t buck our ideas up, we may not even finish that high.
STONES BITTER CHAMPIONSHIP – Sunday 8th December 1991, 3.00pm
ST. HELENS 28 SWINTON 4
This game only goes to prove that Saints are not good enough to win the League Championship. With a 22-4 half time lead, against a side this bad, you would at least expect another twenty points or so past them but the second half was turgid and it did little to warm the crowd up on a freezing day.
If there was any evidence to show that the Greenhouse Effect is really taking place then it wasn’t too evident today as, even with this winter seeing some of the coldest conditions I have ever known on Rugby League grounds, this one really did take the biscuit. I thought I was going to die!
I saw Gareth selling The Director before the game and he announced that he was going to be killing it off after the next issue. I also found out who Kriuq ¾, one if his writers, was and was shocked to find out that it was the freak who was annoying me bounding up and down on the coach after the Hull game last year (Jeff Albin).
Saints started off quite well with Sully touching down in the corner and isn’t he looking much more like the finished article these days? It soon became apparent that the big Swinton No.8 and The Cat were not the best of friends with each tackle exacted with the maximum of force and there were several altercations at the scrum. Of course, Mr. Allatt had to punish us every time!
Cuppa made an excellent break to set up Grovesy for a try and remember when everyone used to get on his back? Well, not anymore and who needs Mal Meninga? Phil Veivers followed this up with a brace of tries and we looked set for a second half romp. Not so!
Within seconds of the restart, Georgie was sent off for a stupid tripping offence and he’ll now miss the two big league games against Wigan and Widnes and the Semi-Final against the Chemics too. If we lose these, I hope he feels guilty!
The second half proceeded to be a shambles with players standing still and spilling possession with increasing regularity. The introduction of Sonny didn’t help either as he ended up worse than the rest. Cuppa did score a try but then it was straight back to the same old dour stalemate. Gary Connolly, once again our best player, was carried off with a knee injury and there have been many better days to support the Saints.
The sending off of Georgie was no excuse for the lame show as they had two sin-binned and one sent off in the last fifteen minutes and we will have to improve against the decent teams or there really is nothing down for us.
STONES BITTER CHAMPIONSHIP – Sunday 15th December 1991, 3.15pm
HULL KINGSTON ROVERS 24 ST. HELENS 14
Where’s that bleeding fog when you need it? For the whole week prior to this hastily re-arranged game, the country was gripped with the hardest frosts for years and Yorkshire had been permanently shroud in thick fog and, on the day of the match, the only place that was bleeding clear was Humberside. I’d been hoping that it would get called off all week too, to leave us confident for the Christmas games, because I just knew this was going to happen. Five away games without a win and they have been the so-called easier ones. We’ll be lucky to win another away game all season with the ones we have got lift and to win the league we could only afford to lose one more. Anyone with half a brain could tell you that there is no chance of that.
As is traditional in a defeat, we got off to a good start with a Fenlon penalty and a Veivers try. At this point, the Rovers fans were their usual bad tempered selves and the fat git with the Castleford haircut (bald head with token hair at the bottom and sides) was close to castrating the referee. Slack defence allowed Rovers two tries in the space of five minutes and we trailed 12-6.
Ex-Rovers hero, Anthony Sullivan touched down to the loud boos of the crowd, who had actually treated him as a hero before the game and, although we trailed 12-10, at the interval, we still looked to be the favourites.
Seven minutes into the second half, Wardy was sent off for a high tackle on Bright Sodje and it was so high that it caught him on the forehead and, from where I was stood, it looked like a shocker. Let’s hope the Rugby League are lenient because a large ban would be catastrophic for us. By now Bill was exchanging some banter with the locals, however the old trout with the flat cap didn’t necessarily see it that way and was almost on the point of a physical confrontation.
Rovers soon increased their lead to 18-10 and we started throwing the ball about like a bunch of idiots, just for a change. Bernie pulled a try back but Fenlon, once again, cocked up the easy kick. Mexicano should have then brought us level but cut inside when a try was begging out wide. A late try for them put the icing on the cake and we were deservedly beaten.
Up until now, most people have tipped us to beat Widnes in the Regal Trophy Semi-Final. They’ve either not been watching us or they are plain stupid. We Saints fans know better.
REGAL TROPHY SEMI-FINAL – Saturday 21st December 1991, 3.10pm
(at Central Park, Wigan)
ST. HELENS 10 WIDNES 18
The lengths I go to for this shower! Driving rain, storm force winds, the Saturday before Christmas and what do we get rewarded with? A first half performance on a par with Wembley 1989, and when the lads finally decided that they might as well make a bit of a fist of it, we were too far behind to even contemplate winning and a glorious chance of reaching the final had gone down the swanee.
Weather-wise, it was an abysmal day, like all the away trips have been this season, and all the Saints fans packed into the Popular Side with just a handful of Widnes fans standing in the Kop. The Saints fans were in fine singing voice, wearing their Santa hats, but the Greater Manchester Police Force started picking people out for mass, unruly chanting. How can you justify that when there are hundreds of fans singing the same song? It’s beyond me and it’s just the latest in a long line of hideously over the top reactions from the GMP at Wigan.
The writing was on the wall when Wright rounded off a great move to make it 6-0. Saints were just not moving up at the tackle and Andy Currier then touched down under the posts. Davies, amusingly, hitting the bar with the easy conversion. Matters weren’t being helped by Holdsworth’s non-policing of the offside rule and I would just love to see what edition of the rule book he has got. Yet another appalling mistake allowed Jonny Big Conk in, who kicked the ball ahead for fifty yards before touching down, although Holdsworth mysteriously disallowed it for bouncing. Faimalo marched through paper thin defence though to make it 16-0 and that was that.
Maccer must have given them one hell of a kick up the backside at the interval and, inspired by player of the season so far, Cuppa, Saints scored two tries in five minutes, great team moves both finished off by Young Sprog. At 16-10 we were amazingly back in it and when Cuppa burst through again it looked like the equalising score and it probably would have been if anyone bar Wardy had been in support. However, we petered out and a Davies penalty finally killed us off.
Fools that we are, we gave the team a standing ovation at the end of the game and they don’t deserve super fans like what we have. You don’t mind your team losing when they give 100% for the eighty minutes but they were just not interested in that first half. Only Cuppa, Bernie and The Cat wanted to know. As for Cooper, we are thinking of starting a collection to pay for his one way ticket back to New Zealand. This season is falling apart before our very eyes.
STONES BITTER CHAMPIONSHIP – Thursday 26th December 1991, 3.00pm
WIGAN 16 ST. HELENS 6
Let’s give the Pie-eaters their dues. They’re miles better than us and always will be as we, once again, failed to even compete on away soil. The result flattered Saints as we never once looked like we might even come within a sniff of getting a result.
We got into Wigan at 12.30pm thanks to Nick’s urge for a bit of pub atmosphere and went for a pint in Billy Boston’s pub, The Griffin. He’s turned into a right fat, old trout hasn’t he? With the new stand, we had to move into the Kop and the lads congregated in large numbers, with Weaver leading in style from a crush barrier. The most celebrated presentable twin amused everyone with his recited renditions of “rip his knees off, pull his balls off” etc and everyone was in a festive mood.
Right from the off, Saints were penned back into their own half and Edwards picked up a kick through to score and it was 6-0. After absorbing loads of pressure, Cooper was sin-binned for an offence at the play the ball and we noticed an immediate improvement! With two minutes to the interval, he arrived back on the pitch and, within thirty seconds, an eighty yard movement, in which Dave Myers burned Sully off, ended in another Edwards try.
Even though we were 12-0 down at half time, we were the only fans singing, ably led by the sweatie with the Union Jack (Paul Owen – Steeplejack), who climbed to the top of one of the stanchions in embarrassing and somewhat hair-raising fashion.
In the second half, the action was, once again, at the club end, where the floodlights didn’t help us to see any better, but Saints lack of ball control, once more, let us down like it has done in every away game this season, and we couldn’t convert our pressure into points. Eventually, it was no surprise when Hampson made it 16-0, although Griff did pull a late score back for us in his comeback match.
Once again, we had been outclassed in every department and they could beat us out wide every time. Their pack was more powerful and our one man drives will get us nowhere. Let’s start moving the bloody ball and keeping hold of the damned thing. Sonny got crippled again but he was looking like a waste of space anyway and who the hell said that Sully was one of the best wingers in the game?? He can’t even catch the ball, and I thought Quirky had no confidence! I mean, fancy kicking it on the second tackle when there is no-one even near you, like he did! Those two have been a big waste of money. The only way we beat Wigan is by our vocal support and our super fans can take a well earned bow tonight.
STONES BITTER CHAMPIONSHIP – Wednesday 1st January 1992, 3.00pm
ST. HELENS 24 WIDNES 22
This may well go down in the St. Helens history books as one of our greatest ever comebacks. There is only one team that could have a man sent off in the first five minutes, concede three quick-fire tries, look abysmal with it, then come back to snatch victory right at the death but that’s what happened.
Saints needed to win after three straight defeats and we didn’t look as if we had a chance when Georgie was sent off for a high tackle after just four minutes. When was the last time we played out the eighty minutes with a full thirteen men? Within another fifteen minutes, Widnes had run in three tries thanks to some pretty abysmal defending. The Flymo powered through an empty gap to set up the first, more slapdash tackling cost the second but, you have to say, the way Davies set up the third was fantastic, leaving Griff for dead. At 14-2 down, it was simply a case of how many the Comics would score.
All of a sudden, from out of nowhere, Saints started to play some superb flowing rugby, commencing with Cuppa’s try. Minutes later, Bish was tripped when about to touchdown and a penalty try was awarded. Now surely, Mr. (you are a) Burke, that is a sending off offence but no, and Les Holliday’s head high tackle on Grovesy was much worse than Georgie’s.
Just before the half time siren, a great cross field movement was finished by Shadow to give us the lead (if it had been Sully, he would have dröpped it!) and the crowd swayed badly with one policeman getting very upset. Then when Bill turned round to his fellow constable and shouted “oi, you, what do you think you are doing?), I thought the excitement had affected his brain but, apparently, he just happened to be one of his buddies. I should have known!
The revival ground to a halt when Richard Eyres’ try levelled the scores and we were getting hammered with the extra man telling but, it has to be said, it was a great last ditch defensive performance from us to keep them at bay, despite the fact that their three quarters, Currier, Wright and Devereux were absolutely magnificent. Devereux did score in the corner though to give them a 22-18 lead and it looked to be all over.
With five minutes left, Shadow superbly evaded the Chemics defences clutches only to be brought down inches from the line but, from the play the ball, Wardy powered over under the sticks and Bish’s conversion made it 24-22. It was nerve wracking last five minutes but we held on for a famous victory and the stunning ovation by the fans, at the end, showed just how we had deserved it.
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Friday 10th September 2010, 8pm
at GPW Recruitment Stadium
Engage Super League
Qualifying Play-Off
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| Saints | v | Warrington |
Referee: Richard Silverwood
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Forgotten your password? Request a new one here.
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| SLXV Table |
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| rank | | points |
| 1 | Wigan | 27.44+511 |
| 2 | St. Helens | 27.40+399 |
| 3 | Warrington | 27.40+397 |
| 4 | Leeds | 27.35+164 |
| 5 | Huddersfield | 27.33+319 |
| 6 | Hull FC | 27.32-15 |
| 7 | Hull KR | 27.29+21 |
| 8 | Crusaders | 27.24-185 |
| 9 | Castleford | 27.22-118 |
| 10 | Bradford | 27.19-200 |
| 11 | Wakefield | 27.18-202 |
| 12 | Salford | 27.16-409 |
| 13 | Harlequins | 27.14-344 |
| 14 | Catalans | 27.12-338 |
(updated 5/9/10)
Click here for full table....
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| 2010 Stats |
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| Player | | App/Sub/Tries |
| 1 | Wellens | 23/0/17 |
| 2 | Gardner | 21/1/16 |
| 3 | Gidley | 24/0/8 |
| 4 | Soliola | 2/1/0 |
| 5 | Meli | 22/0/24 |
| 6 | Pryce | 25/0/8 |
| 7 | Eastmond | 22/0/15 |
| 8 | Fozzard | 9/10/1 |
| 9 | Cunningham | 17/8/5 |
| 10 | Graham | 28/1/6 |
| 11 | Puletua | 20/8/12 |
| 12 | Wilkin | 17/0/6 |
| 13 | Flannery | 25/0/10 |
| 14 | Roby | 18/12/14 |
| 15 | Hargreaves | 18/12/0 |
| 16 | Moore | 20/9/7 |
| 17 | Clough | 21/7/3 |
| 18 | Ashurst | 6/18/5 |
| 19 | Dean | 10/1/4 |
| 20 | Frodsham | 0/0/0 |
| 21 | Wheeler | 12/1/4 |
| 22 | Dixon | 9/7/5 |
| 23 | Fa'asavalu | 0/13/4 |
| 24 | Lomax | 15/0/9 |
| 25 | Emmitt | 0/10/1 |
| 26 | Armstrong | 1/0/1 |
| 27 | Ellis | 0/0/0 |
| 28 | Magennis | 4/1/3 |
| 29 | Yates | 0/0/0 |
| 30 | Foster | 13/0/7 |
| 31 | Bradbury | 0/0/0 |
| 32 | Gaskell | 1/2/1 |
| 33 | Johnson | 0/2/0 |
(updated 4/9/10)
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| Saints Career Stats |
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| Player | | App/Sub/Tries |
| 1 | Wellens | 350/25/172 |
| 2 | Gardner | 234/15/154 |
| 3 | Gidley | 120/0/48 |
| 4 | Soliola | 2/1/0 |
| 5 | Meli | 136/2/92 |
| 6 | Pryce | 150/2/71 |
| 7 | Eastmond | 40/16/33 |
| 8 | Fozzard | 114/31/10 |
| 9 | Cunningham | 465/28/173 |
| 10 | Graham | 116/74/45 |
| 11 | Puletua | 48/11/26 |
| 12 | Wilkin | 167/32/68 |
| 13 | Flannery | 86/3/27 |
| 14 | Roby | 72/128/58 |
| 15 | Hargreaves | 62/50/6 |
| 16 | Moore | 28/20/8 |
| 17 | Clough | 47/75/20 |
| 18 | Ashurst | 11/33/6 |
| 19 | Dean | 20/3/10 |
| 20 | Frodsham | 2/9/0 |
| 21 | Wheeler | 22/5/13 |
| 22 | Dixon | 15/11/6 |
| 23 | Fa'asavalu | 6/157/39 |
| 24 | Lomax | 21/2/11 |
| 25 | Emmitt | 1/15/1 |
| 26 | Armstrong | 6/0/4 |
| 27 | Ellis | 1/2/0 |
| 28 | Magennis | 4/1/3 |
| 29 | Yates | 0/0/0 |
| 30 | Foster | 13/0/7 |
| 31 | Bradbury | 0/0/0 |
| 32 | Gaskell | 1/2/1 |
| 33 | Johnson | 0/2/0 |
(updated 4/9/10)
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