St Helens 16-26 Wigan: Warriors bounce back from Challenge Cup final loss with win over Saints
Last Updated: 02/09/17 1:54pm
St Helens' marquee signing Ben Barba scored a try on his eagerly-awaited Super League debut but finished on the losing side as Wigan bounced back in style from their Wembley disappointment to secure a precious 26-16 victory.
The Warriors never looked back after centre Oliver Gildart grabbed two tries in the first five minutes of the Super 8s derby, although Barba's 22nd-minute score gave St Helens hope and second-half tries from Zeb Taia and Tommy Makinson added a touch of respectability to the final result.
Wigan captain Sean O'Loughlin produced an immense performance to keep alive his side's bid to retain their league title a week on from their Challenge Cup final defeat by Hull.
They are now just two points behind third-placed Hull, their next opponents at the KC Stadium next Friday, while St Helens drop to sixth with their semi-final hopes hanging by a thread after they failed to recover from a shocking start to the match.
A cut-out pass from in-form full-back Sam Tomkins got winger Joe Burgess on a run down the wing and Gildart was on his shoulder to score his first try.
Three minutes later, Gildart snaffled a loose ball after centre Ryan Morgan failed to take Barba's pass 40 metres from his own line and raced away for his second.
George Williams kicked both conversions and, after prop Tony Clubb had been held on his back over the line, increased the lead to 14-0 with a penalty.
Slow-starting Saints began to show more fight when second rower Taia touched down following Matty Smith's high kick only to have the try disallowed for a knock-on, but video referee Ben Thaler ruled in favour of the home side after several slow-motion replays when Barba twisted out of a two-man tackle to plant the ball over the line.
Mark Percival was wide with the conversion attempt but the try breathed fresh confidence into the St Helens ranks and Wigan were indebted to a superb try-saving tackle by Tomkins to deny winger Regan Grace, while another chance went begging when Morgan failed to supply his winger with the line beckoning.
Barba went close to doubling his try tally early in the second half as Saints picked up from where they left off before the break but Wigan struck twice on the counter-attack to strengthen their grip.
Centre Anthony Gelling finished off a smartly-worked move that featured Tomkins and O'Loughlin, while Williams supported a break from deep by Burgess to score his side's fourth try.
Williams kicked his fourth goal to make it 24-4 after 51 minutes but St Helens found a purple patch to give their fans renewed hope.
Ta'ia crashed over from close range for one try and impressive centre Dominique Peyroux worked winger Makinson over at the corner for another.
Percival added both conversions to cut the gap to eight points but Wigan never looked like relinquishing their hold on the game.
The defending champions ended the game with 12 men after Willie Isa, already on report for a first-half "cannonball" tackle on Louie McCarthy-Scarsbroook, was sin-binned for a push on the same opponent, but wrapped up the scoring with a last-minute penalty from Williams, who finished with 14 points.
