St Helens ratings in Warrington Wolves Challenge Cup defeat as silverware opportunity missed

St Helens’ wait to lift the Challenge Cup will go on for at least another year having been beaten 20-12 by Warrington Wolves in the quarter-finals of the competition on Sunday afternoon.

Direct from the press box at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, these are our Saints ratings…

Jack Welsby – 8

Defensively, Welsby was Saints best performer. He twice programmed and executed a try-saver on Matty Ashton in the second half. Doing that once is tough enough, but twice, an absolute masterclass. Looked lively with the ball in hand early on and a nice couple of offloads in the second half which his team-mates should have made more of.

Jon Bennison – 6

We just didn’t see a great deal from Bennison on the day. Not involved enough. 2/2 with the boot.

Matt Whitley – 6

A similar story for Whitley, though more leeway afforded given he was asked to drop into the centres again.

Earned pen 4 mins high shot on him

Mark Percival – 5

Percival was hauled into touch early on, and then knocked on near his own line within the opening 10 minutes. That didn’t end up costing Saints a try, but just after the half-hour, he was forced off and failed a HIA. The latter obviously not his fault, but not a great 32 minutes.

Dayon Sambou – 5

A poor first half from Sambou where the worst action saw him knock on 10 metres out from his own line, with that the error which led to Matt Dufty’s opening try. He was then sold down the river for George Williams’ second half try. Two vital moments, those.

Tristan Sailor – 6

Sailor looked the likeliest in attack all afternoon for Saints, and so it proved when he scored the try which sent them into the sheds level just before half-time having come inches away from scoring a few minutes prior. A horror misjudgement of the ball soon after gave Wire the opportunity to go over, but Saints saw it out. Too quiet in the second half. Kicked out on full, too.

Jonny Lomax – 7

For the first 20 minutes, Lomax’s in-game kicking was bang average. Two beauties of grubbers then followed though, and the second earned Sailor his try. Effort there all second half with little execution, but no notable errors.

Alex Walmsley – 6

Did very well early on to save a Wire try, making a difficult take in the air look comfortable. Never lacked for effort, but understandably faded as game went on having got through a big stint in the second half.

Moses Mbye – 7

Mbye was alert to Adam Holroyd’s knock on as the clock hit the hour-mark and teed up Daryl Clark to go over for a try, which was the crowning moment from a lively performance. Did the full 80, too. Credit deserved for that.

Matty Lees – 7

Two big stints from Lees, who was probably the standout in Saints’ forward pack.

Curtis Sironen – 6

A HUGE hit from Sironen early on looked set to tee him up for a sterling showing, and though there was nothing of note he did wrong, we just didn’t see as much as we wanted from there on in from the big Aussie. No doubt the time he spent off the field as he came through a HIA played a part in that.

Joe Batchelor – 7

Batchelor was great in the arm wrestle throughout, and we’re pretty sure he even tried to make himself sick on the field so he could carry on at one point after a big hit on him. Moved into the centres towards the back end of the first half, and then dropped the ball as he tried to get over for a try early on in the second half. A strong showing overall.

Morgan Knowles – 7

An absolutely monstrous stint from Knowles, who ended up dropping into the back-row as Paul Wellens shuffled his pack among the wealth of injuries/HIAs they endured on the day. Saints lost some punch when he went off.

Daryl Clark (Interchange) – 7

Clark came on half-an-hour in and is another who we’re pretty sure shifted positions towards the end of the first half, slotting into loose. He was alert to Holroyd’s knock on and got over for a try against his former employers. Unfortunate to end up on the losing side, in truth.

Agnatius Paasi (Interchange) – 6

Despite giving a penalty away pretty soon after coming on, Paasi’s first stint proved a good one, and he had the impact Wellens would have hoped for. By the time he came back on towards the end, the tie was beyond Saints.

Jake Wingfield (Interchange) – N/A

It’s unfair to even try and give Wingfield a rating. He came on when Sironen went off for his HIA, and within literally 60 seconds was following him down the tunnel for a HIA of his own having suffered a head knock with his very first carry. The youngster failed his HIA.

George Delaney (Interchange) – 6

Delaney entered the field midway through the first half and enjoyed a good 20 minutes or so, but we thought he faded ever so slightly in the second half before being withdrawn. If we gave half marks out, he’d have been a 6.5.

James Bell (18th man) – 6

Bell was allowed to be involved when Wingfield and Percival had both failed HIAs, with the latter failing his during half-time. He was eventually called into action 53 minutes in, but wasn’t able to leave any real mark on the game.