Warrington Wolves under 19s 36 St Helens under 19s 32

WARRINGTON Wolves snatched victory in the Qualification Semi-Final againstSt Helens with the last play of the game at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Saturday to progress through to the Under 19s Grand Final.

St Helens looked as though they had done enough to seal the win after building up an eight-point lead on three separate occasions, but it was the young Wolves who were able to gain a thrilling success with a breathtaking late try five minutes into injury time.

The Saints opened the scoring after eight minutes when a penalty on the last tackle enabled them to move deep into Wolves territory and a short ball from centre Jake Spedding put winger Lewis Galbraith over in the left corner.

Hooker Lewis Charnock converted but then five minutes later a pass from Wolves stand off Declan Patton hit the deck, however centre Toby King was alert to kick the ball forward and full back Jack Johnson reacted quickest to pick up and round two defenders to score on the left. Centre Harvey Livett added the conversion.

Just before the midway point the Wolves took the lead when they Saints were penalised when one of their players blocked a Wolves attacker following a kick.

From the resulting penalty, Wolves’ loose forward Tom Walker somehow managed to twist in the tackle with four men on him and ground the ball between the posts. Livett converted.

Six minutes later Saints second row Andre Savelio drove the ball forward and brushed off four Wolves defenders to score. Charnock levelled the scores with the simple conversion.

The visitors hit the front again with 11 minutes of the half remaining when a break down the right by centre Matthew Fleming split the Wolves defence and put his side in a good position.

On the last tackle the ball was swept the width of the pitch to Galbraith who went over in the left corner.

Charnock goaled and also added a penalty four minutes from half time, after the Wolves were punished for a punch in the scrum, to make the interval score 20-12 in Saints’ favour.

Three minutes into the second half the Wolves got themselves back into the game when a lovely short ball from substitute Ryan Maneely put prop forward George King through a gap and he raced sixty metres, outpacing the chasing defenders, to score at the left of the posts.

Livett converted but then a Wolves handling error from the kick off gave Saints a scrum and after some good set up play substitute Jonah Cunningham went from dummy half and burrowed over under the posts. Charnock added the conversion.

Wolves once again refused to lie down and Patton took on the line and got through it before finding second row Joe Philbin who scored on the left.

Livett converted but just after the hour a long ball from St Helens stand off Danny Richardson cut out two Wolves defenders and winger Adam Saunders collected and dived over in the right corner.

Charnock converted superbly from the touchline yet again to put Saints eight points ahead for the third time.

Four minutes later a high kick by Patton on the last tackle was collected brilliantly by T King and he found J Philbin who then managed to return the ball to T King who grounded the ball over the line with an army of defenders on top of him.

Livett converted to reduce the deficit to two points but the Wolves were reduced to twelve men three minutes from time when Maneely was dismissed for a late tackle and that looked as though it would spell the end of the Wolves challenge until the injury time drama.

A lovely long ball from Patton found winger Declan Kay and he kept his nerve to collect it and squeeze over in the left corner to the delight of his teammates.

Livett completed a perfect afternoon with the boot by landing the conversion to make the final score 36-32 to the Wolves which gives them home advantage in the Grand Final.

Wolves: Jack Johnson; Jake Eccleston, Harvey Livett, Toby King, Declan Kay; Declan Patton, Louis Jouffret; Daniel Murray, Sean Kenny, George King, Joe Philbin, Sam Wilde, Tom Walker. Subs: Robert Holroyd, Andy Philbin, Ryan Maneely, James Jones.