Women’s Super League had a lunchtime kick off at the Totally Wicked Stadium where fourth placed Group One side St Helens had a repeat of Friday night´s men’s fixture as they took on a Wigan Warriors side in second place and chasing down an unbeaten York Valkyrie at the top of the table.
Saints lost their opening round match to the league leaders but then beat the Leeds Rhinos in the second-round while Wigan drew with Warrington in their opening match, beating the Huddersfield Giants by ten points in round two.
There was little to choose between the two sides for this local derby match and it looked like an even encounter on paper.
The game started like a traditional Saints versus Wigan derby from the first whistle with both sides inventive on the attack but strong in defence.
Saints lost Leah Burke after just six minutes with an ankle injury as she was tackled just short of the Wigan line. On the third play of the set Zoe Harris took a pass ten out and ran the angle to ground with some ease. Amy Taylor pushed her conversion attempt wide of the far upright.
Saints extended their lead on twenty when Shona Hoyle hit a crash ball and pushed over the line to burrow under her tackler and ground. Taylor was on target with the conversion to stretch the lead to ten points as Saints started to dominate.
On thirty-two minutes the Warriors got their first of the game as they turned defence into attack, Grace Banks taking a pass from Beri Salihi on the Wigan ten metre line and showing exceptional pace as she sprinted down the touchline and rounded behind the sticks to ground. Alison Burrows was wide with the conversion but a try from nowhere had grabbed a Wigan lifeline.
Rather than build on their success, Wigan put pressure back on themselves with a mistake from the kick-off. After getting back-to-back sixes Tara Jones went over the line on her back and grounded over her head. The conversion was short of the uprights, but Saints took a ten-point lead into the sheds.
Saints pressure at the start of the second half saw them over for their fourth try of the afternoon, as Luci McColm took the pass to go over in the corner. Taylor added the conversion from the touchline for 20-4, the game drifting away from Wigan.
The Wigan defence were tiring on fifty-three when Eboni Partington hit the ball at pace and came inside the Warriors winger to score ten in from the touchline. Taylor hit the mark from wide again for a 26-4 lead.
The remainder of the game was marred by several lengthy injuries, and punctuated by water breaks, as the two sides struggled with the heat, but the scorers weren’t further troubled.
Good Saints pressure and a stoic defence won the game for St Helens in the first forty minutes and as both sides tired in the second half it was the defences which dominated. Saints take the points to go ahead of Wigan in the league table but both coaches will be left with anxious waits to see what the conclusions of the treatment rooms are.
St Helens Women: Harris (T), Rotheram, Partington (T), McColm (T), Burke, Gaskin, Taylor (3G), Birchall, Jones (T), Hoyle (T), Travis, Ridge, Williams N. Subs: Whitfield, Bridge, Mottershead, Williams M. 18th Man: Roberts.
Wigan Warriors Women: Salihi, Hilton, Hunter, Jones, Davies, Banks (T), Burrows, Speakman, Marsh, Morris, Molyneux, Coleman, Greenfield. Subs: Dwyer, Hayes, Johnson, Leigh. 18th Man: Harborow.
Half-Time: 14-4.
Full-Time: 26-4.
Score Progression: 4-0, 8-0, 10-0, 10-4, 14-4: HT: 18-4, 20-4, 24-4, 26-4 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: St Helens.
Referee: Josh Pemberton.
