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Rugby League

Saints seal thrilling comeback

23/02/2007

St Helens beat Brisbane 18-14 to win the World Club Challenge in a thrilling match at the Reebok Stadium.

The Saints were led by a fairytale comeback from skipper Paul Sculthorpe who scored a try and kicked three penalties in his first match since September.

Adey Gardner scored a brace for the Saints including the winning try nine minutes from time to seal a stunning comeback.

The Broncos, who led for most of the game, rammed in two tries through Darius Boyd and Corey Parker.

St Helens coach Daniel Anderson surprisingly named Sculthorpe as one of the substitutes following his lay-off after knee surgery.

The Saints got off to a nightmare start and found themselves 0-8 behind after 11 minutes following a defensive blunder.

Gardner spilled skipper Darren Lockyer's kick with Parker pouncing to cross the line on nine minutes.

Two minutes later, Brisbane were awarded a penalty which Parker converted with ease.

The Saints got themselves back into the game a minute before the break after Gardner made amends for his earlier error to cross the line in the corner to make it 6-8.

Brisbane scored their second try of the night on 42 minutes in controversial circumstances.

Shane Perry appeared to make a forward pass to Ben Hannant which was missed by the officials and Boyd finished off the move to touch down from Lockyer's kick.

Substitute Sculthorpe made a fairytale return on 57 minutes after collecting Kieron Cunningham's pass and diving over to make it 12-12.

But five minutes later, the Broncos edged ahead when Matt Gidley conceded a penalty for a high challenge on Dane Carlaw which Parker converted from 40 metres out.

Gardner clinched victory for the Super League champions with a sublime piece of skill on 71 minutes.

The winger caught Sean Long's pass with a miraculous leap and touched down to give the Saints the lead for the first time.

St Helens' victory is the tenth time an English side have got the better of their Australian counterparts in 13 meetings.

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