End of the world
STEF OF BROKEN DREAMS AFTER RECORD KICK MISS
HEARTBROKEN Stefan Ratchford vowed to kick another 41 consecutive goals and not make the same mistake of a golf “shank” with the world record up for grabs.
Ratchford, who at 35 is older than his Warrington coach Sam Burgess, broke the Super League record of 39 goals without a miss in the 50th minute at Cherry Red Records Stadium yesterday and equalled the world mark of 41 in the 61st.
With Matt Dufty crossing just to the right of the posts four minutes later, Ratchford was faced with a sitter to move ahead of Liam Finn, Jamie Ellis and Rhyse Martin and set a new global best for accuracy since such records have been kept.
What happened next would make even the most hardened sports fan groan.
“I’d been pretty relaxed about it – someone mentioned I was at 33,” said Ratchford. “I knew I was eight, nine kicks off. They kept going over.
“To equal the record, I was happy with that one. Then I go to the one five metres to the side of the posts and I probably tried a bit too hard.
“I tried to absolutely smash it. I had stuck to my technique all day and that one, the technique went out the window.
“It was like one of my golf shots – a shank. I came across the ball rather than what’s worked in the last 41.
“I kicked the next one after that and turned around and said to Pete who brings the cones out, ‘That’s one, we start again!’ It’s something to aim for. We’ll chase it down again and see where we’ll get to.”
Burgess was so excited about Ratchford closing in on a place in history that he personally informed Sky Sports commentators about it after half-time.
“I played with Stef for England and we are friends... he’s a great kicker,” said Burgess.
“We were joking at the start to give Josh Thewlis the ones out wide and him the ones in front, but it was the one in front he missed!
“He’ll be gutted not kicking the 42nd one, but he’ll be happy with the other 41.”
The result sent Wolves top on percentages. Aside from Thewlis’ hat-trick, elusive full-back Duffy also crossed three times, including a sizzling 95-metre effort.
Adam Holroyd, 19, had two touchdowns by the 12th minute on a dismal afternoon for the winless Broncos.
London coach Mike Eccles said it was his side’s worst performance of the year, adding: “What we are lacking is physicality and size.”