Shocks Narrow Top Ten

Round 19 threw up a number of games that on the form of the reverse meetings looked like a predicable week but how wrong such a thought was to become with three of the top six suffering defeat to sides outside the top eight.

Clark Treble Blunts Vikings
Thursday night saw a dress rehearsal of the upcoming Challenge Cup semi-final as Widnes hosted Castleford but the Vikings will hope lightning wont strike twice next month after a mixed defeat.

Castleford started in superb fashion with three tries in the opening 11 minutes from Dorn, Holmes and Clark which were all cleverly converted by Sneyd for an 0-18 lead but Widnes hit back inside four minutes as Flynn crossed for a try and Tickle converted for 6-18.

Widnes reduced the deficit further in the 32nd minute when Galea struck with a try and Tickle added the conversion for 12-18 but hopes of levelling into the interval were dashed as Shenton responded for the Tigers and despite no conversion by Sneyd the score was 12-22.

Ah Van reduced the Tigers' lead in the 51st minute with a try but despite a failed conversion attempt the gap was only six points which gave them hope but that very hope evaporated in a 13 minute period as two tries from Clark either side of Shenton's second score put Castleford clear with all three converted by Sneyd for 16-40.

Despite the result being already confirmed, Widnes did have the last say as Dean crossed for a try in the 77th minute but a missed conversion attempt left them 20 points behind meaning Castleford won 20-40. A correct result but six points out on the prediction of 22-36.

Last Gasp Owen Stuns Rhinos
Wakefield continued their stunning unbeaten run under new coach James Webster with a last-gasp win over Leeds who missed the chance to go to the summit of the table.

Wakefield opened the scoring in the 16th minute when Washbrook crossed for a try and Sykes duly converted for a 6-0 lead but Leeds bounced back well with two tries in five minutes just before the interval from Watkins and Jones-Bishop but poor kicking from Sutcliffe meant a slim 6-8 lead at the break.

The lead expired in the 53rd minute when Mathers crossed for the hosts and Sykes added the conversion to send the Wildcats faithful into a roar as they led 12-8. Leeds have been one of the beat teams this season when it comes to coming from behind and with 11 minutes remaining, Hall collected a superb kick to score and regain the lead for the Rhinos and with Sutcliffe converting the lead was slim at 12-14.

Leeds had stunned Catalan late on in the previous round and were given a taste of their own medicine when Owen scored for the hosts with just two minutes to go and despite Sykes missing with the boot, Wakefield led 16-14 and held on for a superb win that boosts their top eight hopes. An incorrect result and 24 points off with the prediction of 24-30.

Warrington Edge Out Hull
Warrington continued their stellar winning run after a battling victory over a Hull side boosted by the news that Sneyd and Pryce will move north in 2015.

Hull went in front in the 12th minute when Abdull converted a penalty for a 2-0 lead which was extended just five minutes later by a try from Lancaster and despite a miss with the boot, the leas was 6-0.

Warrington bounced back with a try from Ratchford in the 30th minute with Bridge converting to level the score at 6 all but an exciting end to the half saw Westerman score a penalty for 8-6 before Atkins crossed for the Wolves with just seconds left and Bridge's conversion gave them an 8-12 lead at the break.

Bridge added to the lead with a penalty in the 47th minute for 8-14 but Lancaster scored his second effort of the evening just eight minutes later to reduce the deficit but a missed conversion meant Warrington still led but by a slim two points at 12-14.

Two tries in seven minutes from Harrison and Ormsby coupled with a Bridge conversion opened up a gap at 12-24 but Lancaster crossed for his hat-trick try with three minutes to go and Westerman's conversion for 18-24 ensured a tense finish but Warrington just held on for the victory. A correct result and my closest prediction of the week with a two point miss at 18-26.

Locke The Key For Salford
Salford stunned Huddersfield on with debutant Kevin Locke starring in only their second win in 11 games that pushes them closer to retaining their Super League place.

The visitors went ahead with two tries in four minutes as Chase and Ashurst crossed the Giants line with Locke making the perfect start to his Salford career with two conversions for a 0-12 lead. Huddersfield responded with a try from Wardle but a failed conversion attempt meant a 4-12 score that lasted into the interval.

Caton-Brown opened his account for the Red Devils in the 50th minute with Locke converting for a third time but despite leading 4-18 they were dealt a blow on the hour as Tasi was sent off for a dangerous challenge on Brough who left the field in a bad way. However, the extra man seemed to be a hindrance for Huddersfield as two minutes later Salford extended their lead as Fages scored a try and Locke added the conversion for 4-24.

Just three minutes later, Salford were over again as Johnson crossed for a try and Locke continued to win over the Salford fans with another conversion for 4-30 and after a stellar debut it was fitting that Locke went over for a try of his own in the 70th minute and duly converted for a 16 point tally.

Huddersfield had the last say when Patrick crossed for their second try in the 73rd minute and with Brough off injured, Cudjoe converted for 10-36 but it was sheer consolation as Salford celebrated a superb win. An incorrect result and off with the prediction of 36-24.

Charnley Treble In Broncos Rout
After a duo of defeats, Wigan made the long trip to London to take on a Broncos side to whom defeats have come week in week out. 

Wigan included Eddy Pettybourne and Tony Clubb after lengthy injuries and alike their hosts struggled to gain a foothold in the opening exchanges after both sides blew good chances due to the wet conditions.

Wigan came very close with a run from Charnley who was pulled back after an obstruction in the build-up and tempers began to fray early as Vea raised his hands on Bateman and Dudson left a high shot on a Broncos defender.

London came close to scoring from the resulting penalty as they got themselves to within metres of the Wigan try line but knocked on with the line in sight.

Wigan took advantage and opened the scoring in the 16th minute as a pass out wide found the oncoming Charnley who raced over to score and a superb conversion from Smith made it 0-6.

The resulting set saw Smith kick a superb 40/20 but Wigan were unable to use the possession to their advantage but minutes later were able to increase the lead as a pacey run from Bowen saw him cross for a try which Smith converted well for 0-12.

Charnley raced clear in the next set but with no clear support was caught by the London defence but the hosts only prevented the third Wigan score as Gelling picked out Bateman on the wing who went over for the try with another nice conversion by Smith making it 0-18.

Smith's kicking was amazing as the next set saw him kick a second 40/20 and this time around Wigan did use the advantage as Bowen found Charnley out wide for the Wingers second score of the afternoon and despite a first miss by Smith, Wigan led 0-22.

London went into the interval with a score of their own as Minns took advantage of a Wigan mistake to cross for a try with the momentum in the tackle edging him over and Drinkwater converted for 6-22 at the break. 

Wigan started the second half well with Gelling taking advantage of a London mistake to cross for a try with Smith converting for 6-28. After a mixed performance in the derby defeat, Hughes looked to redeem himself when he raced clear and supplied Taylor who crossed for the try with Smith converting for 6-34.

A superb set minutes later saw a grubber kick travel out of play via London but achingly close to being taken and touched down by the oncoming Burgess. 

The resulting goal-line dropout saw Bowen find Dudson who powered through the Broncos defence to score a battling try with Smith converting for 6-40 and surely ending the Broncos hopes of ending their losing streak. 

London were unable to prevent Charnley from completing his hat-trick after he was found in space out wide and with Smith converting for a 6-46 lead it seemed a case of when rather than if Wigan would reach 50 points and it came with just six minutes to go when Sarginson raced down the wing and found Burgess free with the Winger crossing for the try and Smith converted for 6-52.

The previous combination paid off well with Sarginson racing through the London defence before offloading to his wing partner who crossed to for his second try in the space of five minutes and Smith completed the win with a ninth conversion for a final score of 6-58. A correct result and not too far off with the prediction of 12-48.

Travel Sickness Continues For Saints
Long trips seem to be a curse for St Helens as they suffered another heavy defeat and slipped up for a seventh year away to Hull KR.

After suffering three defeats to the Robins in 2013, Saints were halfway to a league double this season but their hopes were dented by a strong attacking performance from the Robins who have boosted their play off hopes.

The hosts went in front after only six minutes when Caro crossed for the opening try and despite a missed conversion attempt they led 4-0 but St Helens responded and were level inside four minutes a Percival crossed for a try but failed to convert his own effort at 4 all.

Caro struck again in the 25th minute but again Burns was unable to convert making for a slim lead at 8-4 but Burns did find success with the boot as he converted a try from Hall in the 31st minute with Saints responding quickly with a try from Masoe just two minutes later with Percival converting for 14-10 at the interval.

Horne scored for the Robins in the 55th minute to extend the lead but Burns' kicking problems continued giving St Helens hope at 18-10 but from there the Robins seemed to glide through the Saints defence with ease as Caro completed his hat-trick on the hour with Burns converting for 24-10.

Two tries in as many minutes from Hall who completed his hat-trick saw Burns add a conversion for 34-10 to seal the win with Eden adding the gloss to a the victory with a try in the 77th minute with a fourth conversion from Burns completing a 30 point win at 40-10. An incorrect result and of course off with the prediction of 18-30.

Bradford Stunned By Catalan
Bradford's slim survival hopes suffered a late blow as Catalan learnt from the mistakes of their last-gasp loss to Leeds with a late win over the Bulls.

Olbison crossed in the eighth minute to give the Bulls the lead with Gale converting for 6-0 but Catalan responded well with a try from Escaré with Williams converting to level the score. 

Two tries in three minutes from Henry and former Dragons hero Fakir put Bradford in control with Gale adding a conversion for 16-6 with Duport reducing the deficit four minutes before the interval with Williams' conversion making it 6-12 but the gap was a full score when Gale converted a penalty right on half-time.

Gale continued the scoring early in the second half as he crossed for a try and converted his own effort for 24-12 and a rare win for the Bulls was looking good but two tries in six minutes for the Dragons from Pomeroy and Bousquet with both converted by Williams levelled the score at 24 all.

Williams added a penalty in the 68th minute to make it 24-26 but Gale crossed for s second time in the 70th minute to regain the lead for the Bulls at 30-12 after adding a conversion but Catalan bounced back and turned the match around in the 77th minute as former Bulls forward Whitehead stunned his hometown club with a try that with Williams adding a conversion sealed a 30-32 win for the Dragons. A correct result and a perfect prediction of Catalan's 32 but off with the hopes of 16 for Bradford.