 With Hull KR, Leeds Rhinos and Warrington Wolves already in the hat for this afternoons Ladbrokes Challenge Cup semi-final draw, this afternoon it was the turn of St Helens and Widnes Vikings to vie for that last place.
Super Leagues second place side had a home game against the team nine places below them with the bookies making the home side the clear favourites. Denis Betts would have spent the time since the draw readying his side for this match and they would come to Langtree Park intending to make progress.
Make no mistake, Saints were embarking on the post-Wellens era with a tough encounter against a side who could upset the pundits and take the spoils.
After an even opening five minutes it was the home side who opened their account with a great individual try following an eighty metre run by Adam Swift wrong footing the Vikings defenders to score by the sticks. Mark Percival kicked a simple conversion for 6-0.
On the quarter hour, Joe Mellor crawled to the line under three Saints tacklers and stretched out to score when it looked impossible for him to do so. Danny Craven was accurate with the boot to level the scores.
Just after twenty minutes Mark Percival added two points for Saints after a Widnes flop.
On the half hour mark, and after withstanding some good Widnes pressure, Saints created a try from nothing after a Mose Masoe offload went through five pairs of hands with Jordan Turner drawing the last two defenders before releasing Mark Percival to go under the sticks. Percival converted his own try for 14-6.
After giving away a penalty for interference through Willie Isa, Widnes failed to slide their defence and as Saints moved the ball from the left to the right wing Matty Dawson found himself unmarked to sprint in at the corner. This time Percival failed to convert from out wide but the margin was two converted tries.
Three minutes from the interval and a Hep Cahill break gained Widnes fifty metres before a great pass from Kevin Brown put Danny Craven through a gap to ground just over the line. Patrick Ah Van kicked the conversion for his side to trail by 18-12 at half time.
Three minutes into the second half and a great barnstorming break down the centre from Gil Dudson took the Vimings within twenty. A quick play the ball and Kevin Brown missed out his centres to pass out to Patrick Ah Van who came in closer to the sticks but failed to make the conversion easier for himself as he scuffed it short. The Saints lead was down to two points.
With Widnes dominating possession and position they took the lead on fifty-two when Chris Dean dipped the shoulder and went over off a Rhys Hanbury pass. Danny Craven failed to convert from the touchline but now the Widnes players and supporters truly believed that their was an upset on the cards.
As the half wore on Saints started to get back into the game. Seventeen minutes out and Kyle Amor hit the line at speed off a James Roby pass to ground next to the right upright. Percival added the two points for 24-20.
Jordan Turner sealed a tough win for Saints when he bust through two tacklers to score in the corner making the most of a Widnes knock-on moments earlier. Percival missed the extras but his side were eight points clear at 28-20.
When Widnes failed to kick a goal-line drop-out more than ten metres Percival accepted a gift two points to eat up the clock and extend the lead to ten points.
Two minutes from time and Mark Percival pushed off three weary tackles to dive over for his second of the afternoon and as he slotted over the extras for 36-20. It was the last scoring action of the game and the final hooter signalled a far from comfortable Saints win, despite the sixteen point margin, against a Vikings side who had them on the ropes for long periods,
Saints played the patient game, absorbing Widnes pressure, and as the Vikings pack tired they hit them with that extra little bit of class that Saints always save for the last twenty minutes.
Saints join the Wolves, the Rhinos and the Robins in the semi-final draw.
Saints: Percival (2T, 6G), Dawson (T), Jones, Turner (T), Swift (T), Burns, Walsh, Amor (T), Roby, Walmsley, Wilkin, Greenwood, McCarthy-Scarsbrook. Subs: Masoe, Flanagan, Richards, Savelio.
Vikings: Hanbury, Flynn, Marsh, Dean (T), Ah Van (T, G), Brown, Mellor (T), Manukafoa, Heremaia, Gerrard, Clarkson, Whitley, Leuluai. Subs: Cahill, Isa, Craven (T, G), Dudson.
Referee: Robert Hicks
Attendance: 8,806
Ladbrokes Challenge Cup
Semi-Final Draw
Leeds Rhinos v. St Helens
Warrington Wolves v. Hull KR
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