St Helens coach delivers derby verdict as George Whitby praise shared
Paul Wellens has hit out at the state of officiating again.
St Helens coach Paul Wellens admits his side were ‘engineers of their own downfall’ after their derby loss to Wigan Warriors.
The Saints produced a thrilling fightback to turn what was an 18-2 deficit into a four-point margin in the final minutes on Good Friday.
However, a sluggish and below-par first hour ultimately proved costly, as they were beaten 24-14 to lose a seventh derby in eight games.
And Wellens did not pull any punches post-match about where his side fell short.
He said: “It’s a tough one to swallow. It’s all about one thing and that’s winning and unfortunately we came out on the wrong side of the result.
“We were the engineers of our downfall in the first half because we showed in the second half we can challenge very good teams, we just need to do it more often.”
When asked what had cost his side, Wellens said: “A lack of concentration at times. The conditions have changed through the day and you need to take more care throughout the game. We lacked that bit of diligence and it hurt us.”
However, Wellens did reserve praise for young half-back George Whitby, who shone in his first derby appearance.
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“He is some player,” Wellens said. “But that’s why I played him today. He’s mature way beyond his years and I knew he wouldn’t be overawed by an occasion like this. We’re here to support him on his journey and the early signs are very good.
“He’s going to get plenty of games, he deserves that. When you get an opportunity you’ve got to take it and George has certainly done that.”
The Saints are back in action next week when they face Warrington Wolves.
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