HERE’S JONNY!

Lomax’s sensational late try clinches thrilling contest

St Helens

20 Wigan 18

By JULIE STOTT

JONNY LOMAX scored a sensational late try to kill off Wigan and put Saints four points clear at the top of Super League.

The Warriors looked destined to claim a historic victory when they defied having a man sent off to go six points ahead with nine minutes left.

The try was a thing of beauty, created by the brilliant Jai Field and finished off by the equally talented Bevan French.

It deserved to win any game, but champions Saints simply refused to give in and came roaring back with two tries.

Man-of-the-match Jack Welsby said: “I thought the game was gone after Bevan went over, but you never write off the Saints. To do what they did with 12 men was special and we had to respond with something special.”

It was gut-wrenching for Wigan who led 6-2 at half-time and had control for much of the second half.

Warriors coach Matt

Peet (right) said: “I am disappointed, but

Saints deserved to win. They drown you in the deep end.

“Credit to them, with the players they had missing. We will learn a lot from today. Probably we should be more hard nosed in games like this.”

The game was on a knifeedge when Brad Singleton saw red for a high tackle on Curtis

Sironen in the 65th minute. Peet added: “I can understand why it was given. I do not have many qualms about it.”

Even going down to 12 men did not rattle Wigan and they struck soon afterwards with French’s second try to go 18-12. But Saints showed their champion quality with an unconverted try from Regan Grace and then Lomax’s winner – after great work by Joe Batchelor.

Coach Kristian Woolf said: “It was a good game between two really good teams. We did not quite nail our opportunities in the first half , but we just had to be more patient in the second half.”

The first half was extremely tight with both defences having to soak up wave after wave of pressure. Wigan edged it with a try created by Field for French.

The Warriors went further ahead three minutes into the second half with a perfectly placed kick from French sending in John Bateman.

Saints needed inspiration and it was 21-year-old utility star Welsby who provided it.

He set up Batchelor for an excellent try – the forward chasing his own deft kick – and then scored one himself.

Jon Bennison’s penalty, after Singleton’s red card, put the game all level ahead of the firecracker of a finale.

ST HELENS: Tries: Batchelor, Welsby, Grace, Lomax

Pens: Bennison 2

WIGAN WARRIORS: Tries: French 2, Bateman Cons: Smith 3