Rugby League: Warrington Wolves 20 - 12 St Helens
Warrington edge St Helens in thriller to book semi-final spot
They sealed their place in the Challenge Cup semi-finals with a thrilling 20-12 win over St Helens at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
Matt Dufty and Ben Currie both touched down to give the hosts the upper hand, before George Williams, who was named Player of the Match, produced a brilliant solo try to settle a fiercely contested tie.
Saints responded with scores from Tristan Sailor and Daryl Clark, but Warrington’s sharper attacking edge proved crucial as they set up a semi-final clash with Leigh Leopards. Hull KR will face Catalans Dragons in the other last-four encounter.
Despite making a strong start, Saints were caught out when Warrington struck against the run of play. James Harrison’s desperate offload kept the move alive and Williams put Dufty through a gap to score. Marc Sneyd added the conversion to make it 6-0.
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St Helens thought they had hit back when Sailor chased down a Jonny Lomax kick and touched down just as the ball reached touch. The on-field decision was no try, and the video referee confirmed the ruling after a lengthy review.
The equaliser eventually came just before half-time. Another Lomax kick created panic in the Warrington defence and Sailor again applied the finish, this time with perfect timing. With Mark Percival off due to a head injury, Jon Bennison stepped up to convert and level the scores at the break.
A fascinating second-half
Warrington had a golden opportunity early in the second half when Matty Ashton broke clear, but his decision not to pass to the supporting Dufty allowed Jack Welsby to make a brilliant try-saving tackle. Sneyd did restore the lead with a penalty after Saints were caught offside, though it could have been more.
Both sides saw tries chalked off shortly after. Joe Batchelor lost control of the ball inches from the line before Ashton had an effort ruled out for a forward pass.
The breakthrough finally came on 55 minutes. Williams delivered a clever kick that sat up perfectly for Currie, who raced through to score under the posts. Sneyd converted to stretch the lead to eight points.
Saints responded quickly. Moses Mbye capitalised on a Warrington error and sent Clark over to score, with Bennison adding the extras to reduce the deficit to 14-12.
The final moments
With the game finely balanced, it was fitting that Williams had the final say. Spotting space on the right edge, the England international danced past two defenders and powered over to score a decisive try. Sneyd’s third successful kick sealed victory and ensured Warrington’s place in the semi-finals, as they continue their bid for a first Challenge Cup triumph since 2019.
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