Saints Dominate Matty Lees' Testimonial in a Thrilling 40-10 Victory!
What a spectacular performance from the Saints as they celebrated Matty Lees' Testimonial Match with a resounding win over Castleford Tigers! The atmosphere was electric, and the players certainly delivered a show to remember.
First Half: Saints Establish Early Dominance
The Saints kicked off the scoring just eleven minutes into the match. A forced error from Castleford deep in their own territory led to a brilliant solo effort from Nene Macdonald, who showcased his skill by winning a tussle and crossing the whitewash for his inaugural try in Saints colours. New recruit Jackson Hastings expertly added the conversion, putting Saints ahead 6-0.
Their momentum continued as they secured a second try shortly after. Awarded a 'six again' on the Castleford line, the Saints swiftly moved the ball down the right edge, and Harry Robertson weaved through a gap to score. Hastings was on point again with the conversion, extending the lead to 12-0.
By the 25-minute mark, Saints had a third try to their name. A beautifully orchestrated flowing move from right to left saw Jack Welsby find Deon Cross, who finished strongly in the corner. Although Hastings couldn't convert from the difficult touchline angle, the scoreboard read 16-0.
Towards the end of the first half, Castleford managed to open their account. They shifted the ball to the right, and Mikaele Ravalawa dotted down in the corner after receiving an offload. Tom Weaver added the extras, making the score 16-6 as the teams headed for the break at the BrewDog Stadium.
Second Half: Saints Extend Their Lead
The Red V wasted no time in the second half, adding the first points. Tristan Sailor demonstrated impressive footwork to break through a gap, finding Shane Wright in support, who then scored down the right edge. Hastings made no mistake with the conversion, pushing the score to 22-6.
Wright was on fire, securing his second try of the afternoon soon after. Robertson showed great skill to evade a tackle and deliver an offload to a supporting Wright, who then strolled under the posts. Hastings continued his perfect kicking record with another conversion, making it 28-6.
Castleford managed to grab a second try just before the final whistle. Through some well-worked handling from left to right, Ravalawa dived over in the corner for his second of the game. Weaver's conversion attempt fell short, leaving the score at 28-10.
However, the Saints weren't done yet, adding two late tries to seal their victory. Lewis Murphy received the ball down the left edge and finished in the corner. Sailor took over the kicking duties and impressively converted from the touchline, bringing the score to 34-10.
And it was Sailor himself who scored the final try of the game. Jake Davies made a powerful break through the middle and found Sailor in support, who raced away to score. George Whitby added the final points with the conversion, concluding a dominant 40-10 victory for Paul Rowley’s Saints in Matty Lees’ Testimonial.
Match Summary
Saints Team: Jack Welsby, Kyle Feldt, Harry Robertson, Nene Macdonald, Deon Cross, Tristan Sailor, Jackson Hastings, David Klemmer, Daryl Clark, Matty Lees, Shane Wright, Matt Whitley, Joe Shorrocks.
Interchanges: George Delaney, George Whitby, Jake Wingfield, Agnatius Paasi, Lewis Murphy, Jake Burns, Owen Dagnall, Jacob Douglas, Jake Davies, Alfie Sinclair, Luca Walsh, Cole Marsh, Tom Humphreys, Billy Keeley.
Tries: Nene Macdonald (11'), Harry Robertson (15'), Deon Cross (25'), Shane Wright (51', 55'), Lewis Murphy (76'), Tristan Sailor (80')
Conversions: Jackson Hastings (2/3), Tristan Sailor (2/2), George Whitby (1/1)
Castleford Tigers Team: Blake Taaffe, Jason Qareqare, Louis Senior, Darnell McIntosh, Mikaele Ravalawa, Daejarn Asi, Tom Weaver, Renouf Atoni, Liam Hood, George Lawler, Jordan Lane, Alex Mellor, Joe Stimson.
Interchanges: Brock Greacen, Joe Westerman, Chris Atkin, Fletcher Rooney, Brad Singleton, Jenson Windley, Sam Hall, Alfie Lindsay, Jimmy Beckett.
Tries: Mikaele Ravalawa (39', 73')
Conversions: Tom Weaver (1/2)
Half Time: 16-6
Full Time: 40-10
Attendance: 5422
But here's where it gets interesting... While this was a fantastic display from the Saints, how much of this performance can be attributed to their strong squad depth, and how much is a reflection of Castleford's current form? The scoreline certainly suggests a significant gap, but is this a sign of things to come for the rest of the season?
What are your thoughts on the game? Did any particular player stand out to you? Let us know in the comments below – we'd love to hear your agreement or disagreement!
