SAINTS HOLD OFF EAGER VIKINGS
ST HELENS 16 WIDNES VIKINGS 12
DAVID KUZIO
Totally Wicked Stadium, Friday
LEWIS DODD made a tryscoring return in his first game in nine months as St Helens defeated Widnes Vikings in a hard-fought and thrilling encounter for Mark Percival’s testimonial.
The 21-year-old, who ruptured his Achilles tendon in the Good Friday win over Wigan Warriors last April, got 40 minutes under his belt and impressed during his time on the field.
Saints looked out of sight after 47 minutes thanks to tries from Curtis Sironen, Dodd and James Bell, but a spirited second-half performance from the Vikings saw them fall short by just four points, with Ryan Ince and Brad Holroyd both scoring.
Despite being without their England World Cup stars Jack Welsby, Tommy Makinson, Morgan Knowles, Joe Batchelor and Matty Lees, plus captain James Roby, Alex Walmsley and Percival himself, Saints started the game with some big-name players. Jon Bennison, Konrad Hurrell, Tee Ritson, Agnatius Paasi, Joey Lussick, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Sione Mata’utia and Sironen all started, as did Harry Sunderland Trophy winner Jonny Lomax. The defending Super League champions named 17 substitutes with the likes of Sam Royle, Lewis Baxter, Wes Bruines, Daniel Moss, Ben Lane, George Delaney, Eliot Peposhi, Dayon Sambou, Jake Burns and Keane Gilford all getting valuable minutes.