St Helens 12-16 Wakefield: Late penalty try seals win for Trinity
Last Updated: 05/03/17 6:15pm
Wakefield Trinity secured their first win in 12 games after they were awarded a late penalty try to beat St Helens 16-12.
All the signs looked as though Saints had done enough to bag the points after centre Mark Percival powered over for a second-half double, but Keiron Cunningham's side could not finish the job and Trinity struck in the nick of time.
In the dying minutes, Miller pushed a kick in-goal and the officials judged Saints full-back Tommy Makinson had interfered with Miller enough to stop him from scoring.
At 10-4 in front at the break, Wakefield were excellent value for money and deserved to be ahead.
Saints had offered very little, while the visitors were playing all the football.
Trinity went ahead early doors with Sam Williams booting over a penalty after St Helens were caught holding down in the tackle.
That gift was added to 15 minutes later when Scott Grix connected with Mason Caton-Brown who touched down in style in the corner.
The try was everything the visitors were owed after a lively start. It came in simple fashion, the ball being shipped from left to right, eventually finding Caton-Brown who spectacularly dived over.
St Helens looked lethargic and had never been in the game and when they conceded another penalty in kicking distance, Williams obliged from 25 metres out.
Wakefield leader Danny Kirmond limped off with a bad-looking knee injury, and that seemed to give Saints a brief rally, however it was 35 minutes before they mustered an attack of note.
When it came, it resulted in a four-pointer, as Jack Owens connected with Ryan Morgan who forced the ball down.
Percival failed to land the conversion from the touchline.
Ryan Wood went close for Trinity with a breakaway from dummy half but Saints just managed to haul him down metres short.
After a half-time ear drubbing, Saints began to find their rhythm and Tommy Makinson found a hole in the Wakefield line he sent a fizzing pass to Percival who powered over.
The conversion was scuffed but Saints had got their rhythm back. With Cunningham's side asking all the questions, Wakefield were certainly on the retreat and it did not take long for the visitors to concede again.
Theo Fages took the ball right to the line and delivered a neat pass to the onrushing Percival who had enough strength to ground the ball over the whitewash.
The pendulum swung back to St Helens but they fluffed their lines and Wakefield seized their last opportunity of the game when Grix stabbed through for Miller who did well to put himself into position to score.
Makinson did his best to put him off and that was enough for the officials to go with the penalty try call and Williams tagged the extras.
