St Helens 40 Warrington Wolves 34

4:49pm Saturday 10th May 2008

WOLVES' 2008 Challenge Cup dream is over but only after a monumental effort that came so close to paying dividends in a fifth-round thriller with St Helens.

Saints survived a mighty scare and registered a 17th successive win against a heartbroken Wolves side, who battled valiantly to overcome every circumstance of misfortune that was undeservedly thrown at them.

Even in defeat and conceding 40 points, no-one should underestimate the magnificent exhibition of skill, commitment, courage and desire from Paul Cullen's troops, who always seem to be battling against the odds each time they step foot inside the Knowsley Road ground.

Remember February? Chris Bridge left the field with a ruptured Achilles' tendon and Matt King was playing on one leg from the 50th second after pulling his calf.

The previous trip, last September, Mark Gleeson dislocated his elbow, Rob Parker fractured his cheekbone and Adrian Morley was sent off.

And in the Challenge Cup last year Wolves lost Martin Gleeson, Vinnie Anderson and Chris Leikvoll leading into the game and Morley left the field after a clash of heads in the first tackle.

But the gods must have been particularly angry this time.

Wolves lost Parker (rib) the day before the game.

Martin Gleeson, on a drip in the dressing room after an overnight virus, withdrew from the warm-up, leaving substitute Paul Johnson to fill in at right centre, while 18th man Chris Riley took his place on the bench.

Riley was called into action after only six minutes when Stuart Reardon went off with a ruptured Achilles.

Later, Johnson and Riley both departed with knee and ankle ligament injuries.

Key refereeing decisions went against Warrington, too, including two Saints tries from forward passes.

And when Wolves had Saints on the rack at 24-22 after a 100-metre wonder try finished off by Kevin Penny, Richard Silverwood blew up too early from a Saints knock-on when a score was on the cards for Lee Briers.

Then the official missed a ball steal on Johnson prior to Saints going down field for the first of three tries in five minutes that swung the game.

The second of those, scored by Paul Clough, came after Penny lost control of the ball 10 metres from his own line.

But every setback appeared to heighten Wolves' determination to succeed in an engaging show of togetherness that put them into the lead three times.

The final hooter sounded seconds after the leg of a Saints defender had blocked Penny's desperate offload 10 metres from the try line when Wolves looked menacingly capable of deservedly forcing extra time.

Typical of the day, though, there was no such luck for Wolves.

Match facts.

Carnegie Challenge Cup Fifth round, May 10, 2008.

St Helens 40 Warrington Wolves 34.

Saints: Paul Wellens; Ade Gardner (1t), Matt Gidley, Willie Talau (2t), Francis Meli (1t); Leon Pryce, Sean Long (6g); Jason Cayless, Keiron Cunningham, James Graham, Lee Gilmour (1t), Chris Flannery (1t), Jon Wilkin. Subs used: James Roby, Bryn Hargreaves, Paul Clough (1t), Maurie Fa'asavalu.

Wolves: Stuart Reardon; Chris Hicks (2t, 5g), Paul Johnson, Matt King, Kevin Penny (1t); Lee Briers, Michael Monaghan; Adrian Morley (1t), Mark Gleeson, Paul Rauhihi, Ben Westwood (1t), Louis Anderson, Vinnie Anderson. Subs used: Chris Riley, Simon Grix (1t), Andy Bracek, Ben Harrison.

Referee: Richard Silverwood.

Scoring: Morley charges over on his 31st birthday, 11mins, Hicks converts, 0-6; Briers is held down and Hicks lands the penalty, 18mins, 0-8; Talau holds off Briers' ankle tap to cross, 21mins, Long converts, 6-8; Wellens sends Flannery clear, 24mins, Long converts, 12-8; Johnson's reverse flick out of a tackle gives Hicks a walkover, 30mins, Hicks converts, 12-14; Meli barges through Riley after forward pass from Wellens, 36mins, Long converts, 18-14; Johnson's round-the-man reverse flick puts Hicks away, 44mins, 18-18; Gardner squeezes past Penny, 51mins, 22-18; Monaghan snaps up Long kick and offloads over his own try line to Hicks who breaks and sends Penny on an 80m run to the line that includes stepping Long and deceiving Meli, 57mins, Hicks converts, 22-24; Talau angles over from Pryce's inside ball, 69mins, Long converts, 28-24; Penny loses control of ball on his own 10m line and Gidley supplies Clough to score, 72mins, Long converts, 34-24; Gilmour swoops on Hargreaves' loose pass and beats Hicks and Harrison, 74mins, Long converts, 40-24; Westwood surges over from Briers' short pass, 78mins, Hicks converts, 40-30; Grix cuts in and beats three defenders, 80+mins, 40-34.

Pens: Saints 5 Wolves 4.

Scrums: Saints 3 Wolves 7.

Attendance: 8,570.

Warrington Guardian top men: Morley 3pts, Johnson 2pts, Louis Anderson 1pt.

Interesting note: Fifth time in a row Wolves have been unable to hold on to a lead against Saints.