Rugby League: Scully's skill polishes off Kiwis kings

THE agony is finally over for Great Britain who avoided an embarrassing sixth Test series defeat in nine years.

The Brits went into the third and final Don't Drink Drive Test at Wigan needing to win to level the series.

And skipper Andy Farrell and his battlers came up trumps when it mattered.

Britain had last won a series in 1993 with a 3-0 whitewash of the Kiwis, and another gutsy performance ensured a deserved share of the spoils.

New Zealand were unbeaten in the last nine Tests against the Brits who had gone five international matches without a victory - a sad indictment despite the success of St Helens and Bradford Bulls in the last two World Club Challenges.

That dismal run is now over with Paul Sculthorpe's 67th-minute try sealing the victory the British game badly needed.

The outstanding Keith Senior set up the chance for Jimmy Lowes to allow 'Man of Steel' Sculthorpe to plough over for the crucial try, with skipper Farrell tagging on the conversion.

The near-capacity 22,247 crowd knew then that the series had been saved.

Sculthorpe - almost inevitably - Barrie McDermott and Jimmy Lowes were in tremendous form.

And though Ali Lauiti'iti went over four minutes from time for the Kiwis a relieved Britain held on.

It was a triumphant end to Gary Connolly's glorious 16-year rugby league career.

Connolly, 31, joins Wigan's sister-club Orrell RU this week after 29 Tests, but no fairytale first try for Great Britain. Sean Hoppe was persuaded out of retirement to answer a Kiwi SOS after signalling his intention to quit following St Helens' Grand Final win over Bradford last month.

Hoppe, in contrast to Connolly's 'blank', is the record try- scorer in New Zealand history with 17 in 33 games, but failed to add to his tally.

The Kiwis missed Stephen Kearney, gone home due to his daughter's illness, and the injured Robbie Paul.

Britain should have led more than 8-0 at the break but had to settle for tries from centres Senior and Martin Gleeson.

In the second half, Senior's surging 50-yard run was only halted by David Vaealiki's superb tackle.

Referee Steve Clark ran out of patience with the Kiwis, sin- binning Lance Hohaia in the 52nd minute for holding Mike Forshaw, and Farrell struck the penalty.

But then Richard Swain raced clear from dummy-half and Logan Swann's reverse pass sent Kiwi skipper Stacey Jones over.

Jones tagged on the conversion to cut the gap to 10-6 - before Sculthorpe sailed between the posts.

Britain, beaten 30-16 in the first Test, had gone into the clash in confident mood after last Saturday's battling 14-14 draw.

Coach David Waite gambled on the fitness of virus victim Adrian Morley .

And Morley made his presence felt in the seventh minute, taking Sculthorpe's pass to set up the position for the first try, passes from Paul Deacon and Farrell then allowing Senior to cut inside Fa'afili and score .

Farrell missed the conversion but the Brits piled on the early pressure with Vaealiki forced to pull off a try-saving tackle on Lee Gilmour.

Britain still led only 4-0 despite all their territorial advantage.

But that changed when Hoppe failed to gather Deacon's kick from Pryce and Wigan-born Gleeson went over, though Farrell missed the touchline conversion.

Connolly spilled a Farrell pass close to the line, but the Kiwis rarely threatened the British defence in the first half, and looked like the patched-up side they were.

But Senior lost possession after fielding a Jones kick and Britain had to face an anxious period of play before Paul Rauhihi dropped the ball under a four-man tackle inches from a try.

MAN OF THE MATCH Keith Senior Surging runs continually had Kiwis on back foot - setting up matchwinning try.

GREAT BRITAIN: Connolly 8 ; Pryce 7, Gleeson 8, Senior 9, Gilmour 8 ; Sculthorpe 9, Deacon 7 ; Fielden 8, Lowes 8, McDermott 8, Morley 7, Farrell 8, Forshaw 7 subs Orr 6, Peacock 7, Anderson 7, Horne 7

NEW ZEALAND: Vaealiki 7 ; Fa'afili 7, Vagana 7, Meli 7, Hoppe 6 ; Hohaia 6, Jones 8 ; Seu Seu 7, Swain 8, Rauhihi 7, Guttenbeil 7, Wiki 8, Betham 6 subs Puletua 7, Solomona 6, Lauiti'iti 7, Swann 7. REFEREE Steve Clark (Australia) 8. COACHES David Waite (GB) 7, Gary Freeman (NZ) 7.GB NZTRIES Senior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jones Gleeson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Lauiti'iti Sculthorpe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . GOALS Farrell 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Jones

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