Anderson: happy with draw

We still haven't been beaten in 22 matches.

Daniel Anderson
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St Helens coach Daniel Anderson was delighted with his players after Friday evening's 16-16 draw with Wigan saw them finish top of the regular season engage Super League table.

Saints, six days after winning the Challenge Cup, came from 12-0 down to secure the point needed to finish above Leeds.

Anderson's men were on course for a 22nd successive win when centre Matt Gidley scored his second try in the 56th minute to put his side in front for the first time in the match.

Wigan winger Pat Richards then levelled the scores with a penalty 10 minutes from the end but declined another long-range attempt before putting a drop goal attempt wide of the target.

"I was very surprised he didn't go for goal," said Anderson.

"It felt like a loss but I don't think they should be too hard on themselves.

"In the end they've achieved the League leadership and finished top of the comp on their own.

"We still haven't been beaten in 22 matches and we've a home game against Leeds.

"It was a very tough game and I think both clubs will be happy with a real good warm-up game for the play-offs. There were a lot of very good performances and plenty of contributions."

Wigan had been in sight of their first win at Knowsley Road for five years after taking advantage of the sin-binning of St Helens prop James Graham to score two tries in his absence through George Carmont and Joel Tomkins.

Sin-bin

Graham took exception to an off-the-ball challenge from Wigan substitute Iafeta Paleaaesina and was sin-binned by referee Ashley Klein for retaliation, even though Saints were given the penalty.

"I think if you deserve to be sin-binned for threatening retaliation after being hit high, late and off the ball, the instigator also deserves to be sin-binned," added Anderson.

Wigan's draw means they avoid having to travel to Perpignan to play Catalans Dragons in next weekend's play-offs and they could earn a home tie against Warrington or Bradford, depending on the outcome of tomorrow's matches.

After watching his side concede 149 points in the three earlier derbies this season, Warriors coach Brian Noble was jubilant with a draw.

"I thought it was a really good, solid performance to take into the play-offs," he said.

"We lost a little bit of discipline in the middle of the second period but some of the things we did were very good.

"The players are bubbly. It was a great effort from the team and I am pleased they showed the vigour that we haven't shown for the last three weeks."