St Helens 25-22 Hull FC: Saints book Catalans Dragons Challenge Cup semi-final
Last Updated: 03/06/18 8:39pm
Hull's two-year unbeaten run in the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup came to an end as St Helens held off a late fightback to book a semi-final tie against Catalans Dragons.
Justin Holbrook's Saints side looked like they were cruising after building up a commanding 23-18 lead, after the visitors lost Danny Houghton, Danny Washbrook and Masi Matongo to yellow cards.
But efforts from Scott Taylor and Hakim Miloudi dragged the Airlie Birds back into the contest and within touching distance of Saints at 25-22 - but the home side held on.
It was a brave and gutsy display from Lee Radford's men - but not good enough to topple the Super League leaders.
Warrington will take on Leeds in the other last-four clash as part of a double-header at the Macron Stadium in Bolton on August 5.
Their challenge was undone when they had closed to within five points of the hosts but saw Matongo sent from the field by referee Ben Thaler for a late shot on Jonny Lomax. The resulting Danny Richardson penalty gave Saints the breathing space to book their place at the Macron Stadium.
Before the brandishing of cards in a frenetic first half, Zeb Taia had sent in Mark Percival on the left edge after quick hands and, following a shocking restart from Bureta Faraimo, Saints were in again as Lomax's cut-out pass was finished off in style by Regan Grace.
However, Hull hit back in determined fashion with two tries in the space of three minutes. The first was a typical stepping solo score from Australian talisman Albert Kelly and then, following a Saints' obstruction on Miloudi, Chris Green barged over from close range.
After the early Saints surge, the momentum was shifting in the Airlie Birds' favour but a high shot and some extra treatment from Houghton on St Helens pivot Richardson saw the Hull leader yellow carded.
Things went from bad to worse for the visitors as on the very next play as Washbrook blatantly struck Saints' Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook while the prop was on the ground.
Those two flashpoints gifted Saints a two-man advantage in warm conditions and they made it pay with scores from Grace and Percival.
The first was put on a plate by Richardson's high bomb to the corner that Hull failed to deal with. Taia tapped it to his winger Grace, who finished off unopposed.
Then up stepped Percival as Saints piled on the pressure on the visitors' tired defence.
Richardson kicked a one-pointer with only seconds remaining of the half to give Saints a hefty advantage.
Hull's grip on the cup looked like it was slipping further when Taia touched down - but his effort was chalked off by the video official.
The visitors lost Houghton after the collision with Percival but they were undeterred and Taylor put them back in the game when he charged over.
Matongo's late shot on Lomax and the resulting yellow card was just the tonic Saints needed and Richardson's penalty inched them closer to a place in the last four.
The mood changed when Miloudi collected Kelly's kick to put Hull back in it with 10 minutes remaining - but it was not enough as Saints kept them out.
