: Sun Mar 22, 2009 7:31 am  

I apologise if someone has already used this one, but Friday 3rd July 2004 in atrocious weather and with the SKY cameras present:

This was the last match that St Helens players Sean Long and Martin Gleeson would have been available to play for the Saints in the Super League season, after both had been found guilty for their involvements in a betting scandal earlier in the season, then to be banned from July up to and including the Grand Final. In fact, Gleeson never played for St Helens again with news of Warrington signing him up being made official later that season.

Things looked ominous to start with for Wakefield, as Paul Sculthorpe crossed over just two minutes into the match. However, this would prove to be a false dawn, as Wakefield soon bounced back through Sid Domic's levelling try, a result of neat build-up play inovolving Michael Korkidas and Colum Halpenny. The rest of the first half would prove to be one way traffic. Try two saw Trinity mimicking the Saints at their own game, with quick hands from Jason Demetriou and Gareth Ellis allowing Ben Jeffries to cross over. The third score was arguably the one that demoralised St Helens. While pressing Trinity's line on fifth tackle, St Helens looked almost certain to score. Unfortanately for the Saints, Sculthorpe's pass only found Michael Wainwright and he charged the full length of the pitch, shrugging off the advancing Darren Albert and running the last twenty five meters with his shorts around his ankles to score a stunning try. Jeffries got in on the long range solo act himself for his second try.
In the second half, St Helens did fight back, however the damage had already been done. A probing run from Paul Wellens paved the way for Ade Gardner to score in the corner. Steve Snitch increased Wakefield's lead by forcing his way over the line. Teenage debutant James Roby picked up his first St Helens try after a penalty goal from David March and Wakefield's final try was another spectacular one; Semi Tadulala picked up the loose ball from Demetriou's pressured pass and the Fijian winger shook off Sculthorpe to score, later confirmed as a Try by the video referee. To rub more salt in the wound, Jeffries bagged a cheeky drop goal. Ensuring that the Saints did not leave Belle Vue quietly, Willie Talau scored a last minute consolation:

TRINITY: Halpenny, Tadulala, Demetriou, Domic, Wainwright, Ellis, Jeffries, Field, March, Korkidas, Solomona, Applegarth, Spicer
SUBS: Snitch, Handforth, Talipeau, Blake

SAINTS: Albert, Gardner, Gilmour, Talau, Hardman, Hooper, Wellens, Fozzard, Wilkin, Mason, Joynt, Edmondson, Sculthorpe
SUBS: Feaunati, Fa'asavulu, Roby, Graham

Ref: Karl Kirkpatrick, Warrington.

Man of the Match - David March.

: Sun Mar 22, 2009 9:36 am  

Wakefieldite wrote:

I apologise if someone has already used this one, but Friday 3rd July 2004 in atrocious weather and with the SKY cameras present:

This was the last match that St Helens players Sean Long and Martin Gleeson would have been available to play for the Saints in the Super League season, after both had been found guilty for their involvements in a betting scandal earlier in the season, then to be banned from July up to and including the Grand Final. In fact, Gleeson never played for St Helens again with news of Warrington signing him up being made official later that season.

Things looked ominous to start with for Wakefield, as Paul Sculthorpe crossed over just two minutes into the match. However, this would prove to be a false dawn, as Wakefield soon bounced back through Sid Domic's levelling try, a result of neat build-up play inovolving Michjael Korkidas and Colum Halpenny. The rest of the first half would prove to be one way traffic. Try two saw Trinity mimicking the Saints at their own game, with quick hands from Jason Demetriou and Gareth Ellis allowing Ben Jeffries to cross over. The third score was arguably the one that demoralised St Helens. While pressing Trinity's line on fifth tackle, St Helens looked almost certain to score. Unfortanately for the Saints, this only found Michael Wainwright and he charged the full length of the pitch, shrugging off the advancing Darren Albert and running the last twenty five meters with his shorts around his ankles to score a stunning try. Jeffries got in on the long range solo act himself for his second try.
In the second half, St Helens did fight back, however the damage had already been done. A probing run from Paul Wellens paved the way for Ade Gardner to score in the corner. Steve Snitch increased Wakefield's lead by forcing his way over the line. Teenage debutant James Roby picked up his first St Helens try after a penalty goal from David March and Wakefield's final try was another spectacular one; Semi Tadulala picked up the loose ball from Demetriou's pressured pass and the Fijian winger shook off Sculthorpe to score, later confirmed as a Try by the video referee. To rub more salt in the wound, Jeffries bagged a cheeky drop goal. Ensuring that the Saints did not leave Belle Vue quietly, Willie Talau scored a last minute consolation:

TRINITY: Halpenny, Tadulala, Demetriou, Domic, Wainwright, Ellis, Jeffries, Field, March, Korkidas, Solomona, Applegarth, Spicer
SUBS: Snitch, Handforth, Talipeau, Blake

SAINTS: Albert, Gardner, Gilmour, Talau, Hardman, Hooper, Wellens, Fozzard, Wilkin, Mason, Joynt, Edmondson, Sculthorpe
SUBS: Feaunati, Fa'asavulu, Roby, Graham

Ref: Karl Kirkpatrick, Warrington.

Man of the Match - David March.

Which publication did you get that from??

Good write up - and just in time, thanks!

: Sun Mar 22, 2009 10:35 am  

Wakefieldite wrote:

I apologise if someone has already used this one, but Friday 3rd July 2004 in atrocious weather and with the SKY cameras present:

This was the last match that St Helens players Sean Long and Martin Gleeson would have been available to play for the Saints in the Super League season, after both had been found guilty for their involvements in a betting scandal earlier in the season, then to be banned from July up to and including the Grand Final. In fact, Gleeson never played for St Helens again with news of Warrington signing him up being made official later that season.

Things looked ominous to start with for Wakefield, as Paul Sculthorpe crossed over just two minutes into the match. However, this would prove to be a false dawn, as Wakefield soon bounced back through Sid Domic's levelling try, a result of neat build-up play inovolving Michjael Korkidas and Colum Halpenny. The rest of the first half would prove to be one way traffic. Try two saw Trinity mimicking the Saints at their own game, with quick hands from Jason Demetriou and Gareth Ellis allowing Ben Jeffries to cross over. The third score was arguably the one that demoralised St Helens. While pressing Trinity's line on fifth tackle, St Helens looked almost certain to score. Unfortanately for the Saints, this only found Michael Wainwright and he charged the full length of the pitch, shrugging off the advancing Darren Albert and running the last twenty five meters with his shorts around his ankles to score a stunning try. Jeffries got in on the long range solo act himself for his second try.
In the second half, St Helens did fight back, however the damage had already been done. A probing run from Paul Wellens paved the way for Ade Gardner to score in the corner. Steve Snitch increased Wakefield's lead by forcing his way over the line. Teenage debutant James Roby picked up his first St Helens try after a penalty goal from David March and Wakefield's final try was another spectacular one; Semi Tadulala picked up the loose ball from Demetriou's pressured pass and the Fijian winger shook off Sculthorpe to score, later confirmed as a Try by the video referee. To rub more salt in the wound, Jeffries bagged a cheeky drop goal. Ensuring that the Saints did not leave Belle Vue quietly, Willie Talau scored a last minute consolation:

TRINITY: Halpenny, Tadulala, Demetriou, Domic, Wainwright, Ellis, Jeffries, Field, March, Korkidas, Solomona, Applegarth, Spicer
SUBS: Snitch, Handforth, Talipeau, Blake

SAINTS: Albert, Gardner, Gilmour, Talau, Hardman, Hooper, Wellens, Fozzard, Wilkin, Mason, Joynt, Edmondson, Sculthorpe
SUBS: Feaunati, Fa'asavulu, Roby, Graham

Ref: Karl Kirkpatrick, Warrington.

Man of the Match - David March.

After all that, he dosent even post the score

: Sun Mar 22, 2009 1:24 pm  

TRB wrote:

Which publication did you get that from??

Good write up - and just in time, thanks!

You're welcome. No publication, just from pure memory, for the record the score was 41 - 22 to TRIN that night.

: Sun Mar 22, 2009 2:40 pm  

Wakefieldite wrote:

You're welcome. No publication, just from pure memory, for the record the score was 41 - 22 to TRIN that night.

Goood grief I couldn't remember half as much as that for last Sunday's Catalan match

: Sun Mar 22, 2009 5:38 pm  

IngsRoader wrote:

:shock: Goood grief I couldn't remember half as much as that for last Sunday's Catalan match

He's watched the video to death though!