Academy beaten by Saints

• Match Report as Wigan Warriors Academy lose against St Helens Academy.
• Sixth defeat of campaign for young Warriors.
• FT | St Helens Academy 32-18 Wigan Warriors Academy.

Wigan Warriors Academy crashed to their sixth defeat of the campaign as St Helens Academy clinched the League Leaders’ Shield.

The Saints took the lead after just five minutes with Eliot Peposhi forcing his way over from close range following an error from Wigan’s Niall Povall. Will Roberts converted for a 6-0 lead.

The game was an even contest after that until another Warriors error saw the Saints capitalise and Ben Will collected a ball from Ben Lane to extend their advantage to 10-0.

St Helens pushed their lead out to 14-0 with Will grabbing his second in the corner following great work from Ciaran Nolan and Jonathon Vaughan. Wigan had the final say of the first half with Tom Ratchford getting the ball down. He converted his own score as they trailed 14-6 at the break.

Four minutes into the second half and the Saints extended their lead with Sam Hynes offloading for Will to grab his third try of the game. This game was over as a contest as Hynes was the scorer this time with Saints leading 26-6.

The Saints were running riot now as Ellis Archer placed a beautiful kick towards the sticks, with George Delaney chasing the hardest to ground the ball and get himself a well-deserved try. Roberts converted for a 32-6 lead.

In the 65th minute the Warriors would get in for a try themselves with the ball played out to the right and after a few offloads, Reagan Sumner went over in the corner. Ratchford converted.

Wigan would go in for the final try of the game with five minutes to go when Jacob Kilner-Douglas went over in the corner. Ratchford converted to see the final score finish at 32-18. 

St Helens Academy: Benjamin Lane, Ben Will, Sam Haynes, Dayon Sambou, Keane Gilford, Ellis Archer, Will Roberts, George Delaney, Ciaran Nolan, Kalan Devine, Jonathon Vaughan, McKenzie Buckley, Eliot Peposhi.

Interchange: Max McGucken, Leon Cowen, Noah Stephens, Nathan Bannerman.

Tries: Peposhi, Will (3), Hynes, Delaney

Goals: Roberts (4/6)

Wigan Warriors Academy: Niall Povall, Reagan Sumner, Maddox Jeffery, Harry Smithers, Jacob Kilner-Douglas, Tom Ratchford, Reece Bushell, Harvey Wilson, Lewis Pinder, Ellis Hobson, Reece Stanton, Finley Beardsworth, Joe Baldwin.

Interchange: Billy Myers, Ryan Brown, Max Wood, Troy Richmond.

Tries: Ratchford, Sumner, Kilner-Douglas

Goals: Ratchford (3/3)