Saints pile on more misery

WARRINGTON’s Knowsley Road misery continued as they were edged out 30-22 in an end to end thriller.
Despite injuries to full-back Chris Bridge, who is likely to be out for most of the season with as ruptured achilles and star signing Matt King, who hobbled off with a calf injury, the Wolves led by six points at the half.
But after they break succumbed to a three-try blitz just after the break as Saints preyed on Andy Bracek and Kevin Penny’s inexperience. But undetered the Wolves roared back to almost snatch it at the death.
Warrington came into the contest hoping injuries to five Saints internationals would give them their best chance at the home of their neighbours and they certainly came close, but ultimately it was Saints who proved more clinical at the crucial moments.
Warrington again paid for conceding too many penalties as Man of Steel James Roby went over from close range from dummy half, and their troubles intensified when Chris Bridge hobbled off with a ruptured Achilles.
But after Roby gave away a penalty deep inside his own half for interference, Martin Gleeson sucked in the cover defence and popped up a neat reverse pass to put Chris Hicks in.
Former Saint Vinnie Anderson should have put the visitors ahead after Francis Meli knocked on only to knock on himself in the act of scoring.
The Wolves conceded another quickfire burst of three penalties but Saints decided to go for the kick at goal and Stephen Tyrer stretched the lead to four points. It was to be a bad night for kickers, with Lee Briers missing five kicks and Tyrer four.
Cunningham narrowly failed to repeat Roby’s score on the half hour mark, losing possession as he touched down, but it was Warrington who finished the half on a high.
First Briers put Gleeson over with a fine pass on the final tackle, then moments later Saints gave away two penalties and Briers was able to saunter over beneath the sticks.
But Saints responded in true champion style after the break.
Within a minute a neat handling move across the width of the pitch dragged Kevin Penny off his wing and Matt Gidley put Gardner over in the corner.
Warrington barely touched the ball in a 10-minute spell of pace-fuelled pressure and inevitably their defence succumbed twice more.
Ben Westwood gave away a penalty and again it was Gidley offloading for Paul Clough to crash over.
Penny was caught out again moments later as a long pass from Cunningham gave Gardner his second try.
Tyrer missed all three conversion attempts but he did stretch the lead to 22-14 after yet another Warrington penalty.
Warrington should have got back into the game on 56 minutes but the video referee somewhat harshly ruled Michael Monaghan had lost control as he touched down.
Chris Hicks then came up with a superb try-saving tackle on Mike Bennett under the posts, spinning the bigger man away from the try line. That was the signal for the Wolves to roar back in to the game.
Meli knocked on a grubber kick 10 metres from his own line and moments later Paul Johnson finished in the corner, but after Rob Parker gave away a silly penalty Tyrer cut back in off the left wing to score.
Back came Warrington, Louis Anderson’s clever pass giving Penny a try, but after Briers missed a simple conversion, Meli sealed a just-about-deserved Saints win in the final minute, reaching out an arm to score through a pack of defending Wolves.