Round 5
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 40 d. Les Catalans Dragons 20

2007 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

Commanding second half maintains Wakefield's superb early form
Tue March 13, 2007
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats came from behind to maintain their superb start to the engage Super League season with a hard-fought win over Catalans Dragons.

The Wildcats were inspired by playmaker Jamie Rooney - named Super League player of the month for February - as they won for a fourth time to move top of the table on points difference ahead of surprise package Hull Kingston Rovers.

Rooney capped a magnificent display at Belle Vue, in which he also kicked six goals, with a 90-metre interception try five minutes from time.

The hosts, who trailed 20-10 early in the second half, finished with seven tries to the visitors' three after a strong finish in what had been a tight game.

They claimed the lead after four minutes when the high bounce from a Rooney kick fooled Justin Murphy and Semi Tadulala gathered to race in.

Catalans responded with a sustained spell of pressure that finally bore fruit on 14 minutes as Stacey Jones broke and then engineered the space for Jason Croker to send Murphy over in the corner.

Yet as slick as they looked in attack, the Dragons were prone to errors and a penalty conceded in their own half gave Wakefield the chance to build pressure.

Stand-off Rooney declined a straightforward shot at goal and his decision paid off as he kicked through for Jason Demetriou to score and then converted.

The Wildcats could have had more but Matt Blaymire was ruled to have knocked on as he stretched to put the ball down.

Catalans turned the game around to claim a 16-10 lead at half-time with two tries in the space of four minutes just before the interval.

Croker claimed the first of them under the posts from a Jones pass and Thomas Bosc added the goal.

Another try followed after what proved a nightmare few moments for winger Waine Pryce.

Pryce came off the bench as a blood-bin replacement for Ned Catic and was immediately ruled to have knocked on as he chased back to field a kick.

With Catalans in a good position, Casey McGuire then put in a kick to the corner and Pryce completely missed it, allowing a grateful Murphy to touch down.

The Dragons inched further ahead with two Bosc penalties early in the second half but Ben Jeffries reduced the deficit when he darted over for a try from the base of a scrum, with Rooney converting.

Wakefield were aggrieved to be denied another try soon after when they felt Peter Fox was impeded by Dimitri Pelo as the pair raced for a loose ball.

Fox was soon needed at the other end as Bosc threatened but Wakefield weathered the storm and went back ahead when Blaymire touched down from a bobbling Rooney kick.

Fox got his try as the Wildcats moved up a gear to kill off the game 10 minutes from time, the winger scoring in the corner after more good work from Rooney.

Rooney added the try his play deserved when he picked off Jones, off colour on his return from injury, to race through and Demetriou claimed his second late on.

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats: (10) 40
Tries: Tadulala, Demetriou 2, Jeffries, Blaymire, Fox, Rooney
Goals: Rooney 6

Catalans Dragons: (16) 20
Tries: Murphy 2, Croker
Goals: Bosc 4

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats: Blaymire, Fox, Demetriou, Henderson, Tadulala, Rooney, Jeffries, Watene, P. March, Moore, Elima, MacGillivray, Ferres.
Replacements: Sculthorpe, Catic, Pryce, Latu.

Catalans Dragons: Greenshields, Murphy, Duport, Mogg, Pelo, McGuire, Jones, Chan, Teixido, Ferriol, Raguin, Croker, Mounis.
Replacements: Bosc, Fellous, Gossard, Guisset.

Referee: P Bentham
Attendance: 5,332

Report source: www.superleague.co.uk

Article: Kear: Rooney deserves the praise

Advanced Search