HANDY COOTE

Lachlan settles derby with sweet 16

LACHLAN COOTE provided a timely reminder of his value as St Helens inflicted more pain on rivals Wigan in a feisty, rain-sodden derby.

Full-back Coote is being strongly linked with a move to Hull KR next season after two and a half popular years in the red vee.

He could yet leave with a third Grand Final winners’ ring as he finished with 16 points from a try and six goals.

That proved more than enough to account for a Warriors side slumping to a fifth straight league defeat for the first time since 2006.

Adrian Lam’s team had Kai Pearcepaul and Willie Isa sin-binned either side of half-time and have scored just seven tries in those quintet of losses.

Saints’ victory was virtually assured by the half-hour mark, by which time they were three scores ahead. Coote kicked the first of three penalties in the opening 40 minutes before his high kick was spilled by Jake Bibby and Regan Grace pounced to touch down.

Coote grabbed the next try, scooping up a loose pass and stepping over from close range on the last tackle.

Further penalties either side of that score made it 18-0 and Wigan’s struggles were summed up when Jackson

Hastings chose to kick with an overlap and the ball bounced into touch.

The half then finished with a couple of minor skirmishes as tempers rose.

The first came when Isa appeared to deliberately run at a prone Mark Percival to try and win a penalty, earning the wrath of the home forwards.

Soon after the teams came together again after Pearce-paul hit Coote fractionally late – but not high – following a kick downfield and was harshly sin-binned.

Isa could have no complaints when he followed him four minutes after the restart, having dumped Jack Welsby after the ball had gone, then going in with his shoulder as Grace lay on the ground.

Briefly down to 11 men, the visitors were always likely to be stretched and Percival found enough space out wide to cut through for his side’s third score.

At 24-0 the Warriors were facing a mauling but to their credit rallied for the remainder of the game, Liam Farrell crashing over for a consolation try.

HUDDERSFIELD have called off tomorrow’s game with Castleford as they have 20 players unavailable. The Giants are waiting on further Covid-19 tests to determine if the required seven of those are due to the virus, otherwise the Tigers could be awarded a 24-0 win.