St Helens 16 Warrington Wolves 8, post-match reaction

While they battled gamely in their play-off eliminator at St Helens, they succumbed to defeat at a rainy Totally Wicked Stadium.

Tommy Makinson’s try on the hour mark proved pivotal for the defending champions, with Mark Percival adding a late penalty to take the game out of Wire’s reach.

The visitors had retrieved an eight-point half-time deficit following Connor Wrench’s try and Stefan Ratchford’s penalty, the latter of which came while Alex Walmsley was in the sin bin for a shoulder charge.

After Makinson had touched down, Joe Bullock was then sin binned for a high tackle as Saints kept Wire at arm’s length having established control thanks to Lewis Dodd’s first-half try and another Percival penalty.

Check out highlights from the game below

St Helens 16 Warrington 8 - post-match reaction

> BIG MATCH VERDICT: An achingly familiar tale in many ways

> 'Plenty of effort, not enough smarts' - Chambers' verdict on play-off defeat

> Wire's concerning play-off record continues after another first-hurdle exit

> WIRE SOCIAL: How fans are reacting to the end of their side's season

> Re-live the action from the Totally Wicked Stadium as it happened

Match facts:

Super League eliminator

Saturday, September 30, 2023

St Helens...16 Warrington Wolves...8

Saints: Jack Welsby; Tommy Makinson, Mark Percival, Will Hopoate, Jon Bennison; Jonny Lomax, Lewis Dodd; Matty Lees, James Roby, Sione Mata'utia, Joe Batchelor, Curtis Sironen, Morgan Knowles. Subs: Alex Walmsley, Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, James Bell, Moses Mbye. 18th man: Ben Davies

Wolves: Matt Dufty; Matty Russell, Connor Wrench, Stefan Ratchford, Matty Ashton; George Williams, Josh Drinkwater; James Harrison, Danny Walker, Sam Kasiano, Matty Nicholson, Ben Currie, Jordy Crowther. Subs: Peter Mata'utia, Daryl Clark, Joe Philbin, Joe Bullock. 18th man: Gil Dudson

Scoring: Dodd try, 26mins, Percival goal, 6-0; Percival penalty, 37mins, 8-0; Wrench try, 43mins, Ratchford goal, 8-6; Ratchford penalty, 53mins, 8-8; Makinson try, 58mins, Percival goal, 14-8; Percival penalty, 74mins, 16-8

Penalties: Saints 6 Wolves 8

Sin bin: Walmsley (45mins, shoulder charge), Bullock (60mins, high tackle)

Referee: Ben Thaler

Attendance: 13,801