Match Report, Betfred Super League Round 1 - St Helens 40 - London Broncos 4
After long last, London’s first trip back to Super League in 2019 was underway! After months of training and getting prepared, the time has finally come for London to put it all to the test against one of the very best sides in England, St Helens Saints.
The game had a back-and-forth start, with a St Helens penalty for offside which was chipped over the try line and caught by Dean Parata who ran the ball over the dead ball line. There has been a good atmosphere so far, with the Saints fans showing their excitement for the beginning of the new Super League season!
Unfortunately for London, a try had been scored in the 5th for St Helens with a good break by the home side and scored by Lewis Dodd and Mark Percival added the extras to make the score St Helens 6- London 0.
Once more, another penalty for offside by London in the 7th minute and a try scored by Jack Welsby almost straight off the restart of the kick. St Helens 10 - London 0.
From the restart, St Helens used their 5 plays and kick to London who reply with a kick over the top by James Meadows, caught by Welsby who was then nailed by Campagnolo.
London seemed to have gotten themselves together between the 10th to 15th minute, with a 40-20 kick by James Meadows and London had the ball 5m out of St Helens try line who had started now to look threatening. A chip by Campagnolo was booted out of play by Welsby for a goal line drop-out, but Rhys Kennedy knocked the ball on off the restart and the ball went back into Saints hands. However, Saints then made a rare unforced error in the 17th minute, passing the ball forwards and it is a London scrum.
Saints played the ball incorrectly on the floor in the 18th minute and London had the ball inside the Saints 20m line, but Hakim Miloudi drops the ball 2m out from the try line. However, you cannot take anything away from the Saints defence who are looking very strong and made it incredibly difficult for London to make any kind of ground.
Good spell for London in the 22nd minute but unfortunately Rhys Kennedy’s offload got knocked on by Jack Campagnolo and Saints have the ball back and converted their opportunity straight into a try, scored by Alex Walmsley for Saints and with Percival adding the extras, Saints lead London 16-0.
As Will Lovell and Rob Butler depart in the 26th minute; they are replaced by Emmanuel Waine & Marcus Stock.
Penalty for London in the 27th minute and Campagnolo kicked it deep to give London the ball well in the Saints half but unfortunately can’t do anything with it as Miloudi knocks the ball on.
A rare Saints mistake in the 30th minute gifted London the ball back and another penalty for London sees the Broncos deep in Saints territory but a blocked Meadows kick stopped the attack.
A London penalty in the 35th minute gifted St Helens a try to finish the half which was scored by Tommy Makinson.
Half time- St Helens 20- London 0
The second half begu with the Saints kicking to the Broncos who worked hard to make it into the Saints half but had to kick with a good chase down by Adebiyi.
The Saints use up their 6 attempts in the 42nd minute and London get back the ball with Waine.
A try for Robbie Storey in the 44th minute who scored off a Kershaw chip through- just the start the Broncos would have been looking for.
Despite London’s strong start to the second half, they were not able to keep up with the Saints who reply with a try of their own in the 50th minute through Daryl Clark and converted by Percival.
London had a penalty in the 51st minute, sent into the Saints half but the Saints had the ball back almost immediately due to an incorrect play of the ball by Adebiyi.
It had been quite back and forth once more between the 51st to 58th minute, with both teams exchanging blows- London seemed to be going toe to toe with Saints now. Positive signs for Mike Eccles and his team.
A good break by Macani in the 60th minute and he chipped the ball through, but it got gathered by the Saints before Waine had a chance to run through and grab it.
A penalty in the 63rd minute for a high tackle gave London a great opportunity to score, but a Campagnolo kicked though the defence goes dead, and the Saints took the ball back.
Immediately, London conceded a penalty to give the Saints another opportunity to score and despite reclaiming the ball, a Macani mistake right in front of the Broncos try-line gave the Saints the ball back.
An injury stoppage in the 67th minute as Kershaw comes off injured and Storey looks shaken up.
As the game resumes, In the worst-case scenario, Robbie Storey made a gesture back to the crowd as they’re shouting at him for time wasting and then Matt Whitley immediately scores, leaving the Saints fans behind the try line in ecstasy. Try was converted by Tommy Makinson.
London needs to hang on- Another try for Saints as Jonny Lomax scores in the 69th minute, but London needs to see this through and stay strong to the end. Makinson’s conversion attempt hits the post.
A turnover of the ball in the 73rd minute as Marcus Stock gets his hands on it for the Broncos at the halfway line.
The Broncos had a great opportunity squandered in the 75th minute as Miloudi let go of the ball heading over the try-line.
Yet another try for the Saints in the 76th minute as Matt Whitley scores his second of the night.
Full time- Saints 40- Broncos 4
Teams:
St Helens:
1) Jack Welsby
2) Tommy Makinson
23) Konrad Hurrell
4) Mark Percival
3) Waqa Blake
6) Jonny Lomax
7) Lewis Dodd
8) Alex Walmsley
9) Daryl Clark
10) Matty Lees
19) Matt Whitley
16) Curtis Sironen
15) James Bell
Interchanges:
11) Sione Mata’utia
18) Jake Wingfield
20) George Delaney
21) Ben Davies
Tries- Dodd (5), Welsby (7), Walmsley (22), Makinson (35), Clark (49), Lomax (70), Whitley (67, 76)
Conversions- Percival- 3/5.
Makinson- 1/3
London Broncos:
20) Oliver Leyland
2) Lee Kershaw
21) Robbie Storey
4) Hakim Miloudi
5) Iliess Macani
6) Jack Campagnolo
7) James Meadows
8) Rob Butler
9) Sam Davis
19) Rhys Kennedy
11) Will Lovell
17) Sadiq Adebiyi
13) Dean Parata
Interchanges:
24) Matthew Davies
15) Marcus Stock
16) Jordan Williams
18) Emmanuel Waine
Try- Robbie Storey (44)
Conversion- Campagnolo 0/1
Half time- 20-0
Full time- 40-4
Referee- James Vella.
Attendance- 14,058
