Percival penalty snatches spoils for Saints against Vikings

The game was a stark contrast to Saints’ last two free-scoring encounters, but what they lacked in attack this week they compensated for in defence.

With the ball Vikings looked more creative and had the better of things for long periods of the second half but Saints made sure that their try line was breached just the once in that time.

Saints got off to a dream start with their first real attack yielding a try for Jordan Turner, who stepped off his right foot to force his way over from close range.

Percival's conversion hit the left-hand upright and bounced out – and for a long while that as looking like a costly miss.

Greg Richards almost carried on where he left off last week when he reached out for a try, but the ball came loose and the chance went begging.

Play switched up the other end, where a penalty for obstruction foiled Charly Runciman after he had chased and touched down a kick and then Rhys Hanbury had the ball stripped on the line by Percival to deny another certain score.

Afte r a penalty, Saints pressed again on 19 minutes but the Widnes cover scrambled across to deny foil Jack Owens in the right corner.

Widnes made them pay immediately and attacked from deep with smart play Lloyd White and Kevin Brown resulting in the latter putting right wing Corey Thompson in at the corner.

Rhys Hanbury's touchline conversion gave the visitors a 6-4 lead.

Saints were suddenly up against it and after Vikings prop Gil Dudson had slipped a pass to Matt Whitley, Jonny Lomax did well to halt him. The move continued but ended when Charly Runciman knocked on Kevin Brown’s inventive back-flicked pass.

Aided by a Widnes knock on, after a spell of pressure centre Matty Fleming was rewarded for his fine effort when he collected Shannon McDonnell’s inside ball after a long ball from Lomax to scamper over.

Percival stroked the ball between the uprights to make it 10-6 at half time.

A couple of penalties, one for a high tackle on Joe Greenwood and another for ball stealing put Saints on the front foot. Saints opted to tap, rather than convert but were kept out by the determined Widnes defence.

The Vikings countered and after a Brown sidestep and dart, the crafty number six was halted on ther line.

And then on the left Runciman found the lower seats of the stand rather than Ah Van. And then Lomax had to cover back again to foil a Widnes raid after a Saints offload had gone awry.

After numerous raids Widnes, backed by a large travelling horde, finally levelled on 56 minutes when Brown’s long pass sent Ah Van in at the corner flag.

It then turned into something of a blinking competition and seemed like rugby league’s equivalent of playing for penalties.

Both sides battled to win the battle for advantage in the middle with both playing a safety first, set-completion gameplan.

Vikings showed a touch more invention with the ball, with Saints heavily reliant on the high punt from Wilkin on the last.

Although this tactic posed little in the way of attacking threat, it did allow Saints to contain and peg back the Vikings ensuring that Hanbury was constantly returning the ball from deep.

As the minutes crept down, the game hinged on a penalty on 71 minutes when Lomax’s quick feet threw the Widnes defence leaving Whitley to instinctively lunge at him.

Percival held his nerve to convert it to give Saints a two-point lead, but Vikings still had plenty left.

Saints had will, want and desperation and that was epitomised by McCarthy-Scarsbrook’s goalkeeper save when Mellor kicked through.

The game went down to the final hooter, with both sides knocking in in the last two minutes to cause a few anxious moments.

St Helens: Lomax; McDonnell, Fleming, Percival, Owens; Turner, Wilkin; Walmsley, Roby, Richards, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Greenwood, Thompson. Subs: Amor, Vea, Ashworth, Knowles.

Widnes: Hanbury; Thompson, Marsh, Runciman, Ah Van; Mellor, Brown; Cahill, White, Buchanan, Houston, Dean, Leuluai. Subs: Burke, Dudson, Whitley, Manuokafoa.

Referee: Mr G Hewer.