St Helens (0) 26
Tries: Gilmour, Gardner, Gidley 2, Graham, Armstrong Goal: Long

Warrington (8) 14
Tries: Higham, Rauhihi Goals: Hicks 3

Matt Gidley led a superb Saints revival

Two tries from Matt Gidley helped St Helens come from behind to beat Warrington at Knowsley Road.

The visitors took the lead after debutant Mickey Higham powered in for a 36th-minute converted try, shortly after a Chris Hicks penalty.

Paul Rauhini then crossed for a rare score which Hicks converted for a 14-0 lead, only for Saints to hit back.

Lee Gilmour and Ade Gardner started the revival, with James Graham, Gidley and Tom Armstrong completing the fightback.

Saints - who won all three games against Warrington last season - were aiming to get their campaign off to a positive start under the guidance of new coach Mick Potter.

And Gardner was unfortunate to have a try chalked off for a foot on the line in the ninth minute, in what was the first main thrust by the home side.

Warrington were slightly stronger however, in the early stages, of an expected tight clash, but Potter's men defended their line stoutly.

The Wolves grew in confidence and opened the scoring in the 31st minute through a routine penalty from wing Hicks.

Warrington's momentum continued and Higham showed outstanding strength and determination to burrow his way over from close range.

Hicks added a simple conversion to put the Wolves 8-0 ahead.

Wolves consolidated their lead swiftly with a try from Rauhihi, the front-rower collecting a clever Chris Riley reverse offload before touching down.

606: DEBATE Same as last year and the year before bewareshadows

The former Scotland international took advantage of Wolves' lapse in concentration to sprint 30 yards down the left to reduce the deficit to 10 points.

And Saints followed up with their second - and vital - try, with Gardner eluding Matt King's tackle to squeeze the ball over the line, although there was an anxious wait for the officials' decision.

In the 63rd minute Potter's men worked in their third when Gidley dipped low to score after a sequence of searching passes stretched the Wolves defence.

Sean Long, however, missed his third kick of the match.

But the momentum was in Saints favour and Gidley touched down after a patient cross-field build-up.

With a jaded Warrington struggling to cope, Graham went in under the posts with just minutes remaining and Long finally converted.

Armstrong weaved through with a late effort to complete a wonderful revival to extend Warrington's miserable record at Knowsley Road, where they have not won since 1994.

St Helens coach Mick Potter:
"After being 14-0 down it was a great comeback. The guys didn't panic and it was a good first experience for me.

"I don't know whether (comeback victories) are a tradition here but I've certainly seen it before when Saints come back and give teams a whacking as it happened to me when I played against them with Catalans.

"I'm not sure I feared the worst but I did worry. I suppose it's the coach's job to worry but the guys did really well to come back."

Warrington coach James Lowes:
"I thought we made too many errors but it's the first game of 28 so let's not write us off just yet.

"I thought we had some great control in the first half and possibly should have led more than 8-0 (at half-time).

"We then scored a great try shortly after the restart but they converted their chances."

St Helens: Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Gilmour, Armstrong, Pryce, Long, Graham, Cunningham, Hargreaves, Wilkin, Flannery, Puletua.
Replacements: Cayless, Roby, Clough, Fa'asavalu.

Warrington: Riley, Hicks, Johnson, King, Penny, Briers, Monaghan, Morley, Higham, Carvell, L. Anderson, Westwood, Blythe.
Replacements: Rauhihi, Wood, Bridge, Harrison.

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