Wolves lift Saint's curse at long last!

WARRINGTON Wolves finally lifted their St Helens hoodoo with a stunning 18-25 victory at the Stobbart Stadium ending more than a decade of pain thanks to two tries and a drop goal from former Saint Lee Briers.
Three converted tries from St Helens in the final 15 minutes took a little bit of gloss off the long-awaited victory for the massed ranks of travelling fans after the Wolves had built up a remarkable 0-24 lead with a near perfect performance.
Thankfully a crucial drop goal from Lee Briers, after St Helens had started their fight-back against a tiring defence, helped steady the nerves in the 70th minute to end more than a decade without a win against their near neighbours and only their second ever victory in 16 years of Super League!
It was St Helens first game at their temporary home which has been a happy hunting ground for the Wolves in recent years – and they will already be pining for their old Knowsley Road home after taking a pounding from a team they normally expect to beat as a mere formality.
But from the kick off Warrington showed the power and determination to shake off the unwanted record which has hung around their necks like a lead weight for more than a decade.
The Wolves took the lead in the 2nd minute following a penalty as Lee briers threw a dummy to burst over with Brett Hodgson adding the extras for a dream start.
Then on 14 minutes hooker michael Monaghan produced a game breaking 40-20 kick, the first for any Super League team this season which helped relieve a period of sustained Saints pressure. From the scrum a clever left fotted kick by Hodgson opened up the defence allowing live-wire Richie Myler to scamper over under the sticks to touch down. Hodgson’s conversion was a formality and Warrington were 0-12 in front.
Then on 19 minutes a lucky deflected kick by Briers allowed the half back to regather the ball to score with Hodgson keeping his cool to add the extras as the Wolves’ opened up a 0-18 lead.
Try as they might St Helens could not find a way through Warrington’s workman like defence as they repelled six sets, including three penalties and two drop outs.
Just before the break Briers attempted a drop goal which drifted wide of the post as Warrington went in 0-18 at the break.
Knowing recent history between the two sides it was crucial Warrington scored the next points and good pressure at the start of the second half was duly rewarded as Myler slipped a short pass allowing Louis Anderson to power over. Hodson’s conversion made it 0-24 and seemingly no way back for St Helens.
Briers attempted another drop-goal on 59 minutes which again drifted wide and when Saints eventually breached the Wolves defence on 65 minutes through Michael Shenton and Kyle Eastmond added the extras to make it 6-24 a little bit of doubt may have started to creep into the Warrington minds.
But it proved to be third time lucky when Briers calmly slotted over a drop goal in the 70th minute to help ease any nerves – and with Saints running in two late consolation tries through Flanery on 76 minutes and Gaskell two minutes later, which were both converted, the final hooter couldn’t come soon enough for the Wolves’ fans who will be celebrating long into the night!
It was a special moment for Briers who left his home town club St Helens in 1997 but after the long awaited victory he said: “We just wanted to put in the performance as we have under achieved against St Helens in the past. If you put in the performance you will get the result and we have now got the monkey off our back! But there are still 24 rounds of Super League to go and you get nothing for winning tonight!”
After the match Warrington coach Tony Smith said: “It was a good performance and I’m very pleased with that. I’m pleased for the players who have worked so hard and for those people who have supported the club for many years I am delighted for them.
“They are the ones who are really celebrating. It has been a long time for them. We’re pleased it has happened and now we can focus on other things and the media will have to come up with another angle from now on.”

Lee Briers rolls backs the years with two tries and a drop goal to help sink Saints.


Louis Anderson scores the crucial first try of the second half

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St Helens:
1.Paul Wellens 5.Francis Meli 2.Ade Gardner 4.Iosia Soliola 3.Michael Shenton 20.Jonny Lomax 25.Lee Gaskell 7.Kyle Eastmond 12.Jon Wilkin 9.James Roby 10.James Graham 15.Louie McCarthy- Scarsbrook 16 13. Chris Flannery
Substitutes 16.Paul Clough 22.Jamie Foster 14.Scott Moore 11.Tony Puletua

Warrington:
1. Brett Hodgson 5.Joel Monaghan 2. Chris Riley 23.Ryan Atkins 6.Lee Briers 9.Michael Monaghan 7.Richie Myler 26.David Solomona 20.Matty Blythe 11.Louis Anderson 12.Ben Westwood 8.Adrian Morley 10.Garreth Carvell
Substitutes
13.Ben Harrison 14. Mick Higham 16.Paul Wood 24.Rhys Evans

Atten 10,514
Ref P Bentham