Saints tame toothless Tigers

Sol Soliola: played a starring role on his return

Tommy Makinson: two tries for Saints

St Helens ended a two-game losing streak with a 44-12 victory over Castleford to stay firmly in the hunt for third place.

Tommy Makinson scored two of Saints' eight tries, including a length-of-the-field effort, to ensure that Cas' losing streak stretches to five games.

Saints' second rower Sol Soliola was back after missing the last two defeats by Warrington and Wakefield and played a starring role on his return.

Cas had lost their last eight meetings against Saints but the Tigers made an encouraging start with prop Jacob Emmitt held up over the line against his old club.

However it was Saints who took the lead after seven minutes when Anthony Laffranchi bravely dived on a kick from Jonny Lomax before crashing into the hoardings.

Laffranchi needed treatment before being helped off the pitch as Tommy Makinson struck the conversion.

Josh Perry would have scored his first try for Saints if he had held onto a pass before Lance Hohaia lost possession to squander another chance.

Cas refused to be overawed and a neat reverse pass from Craig Huby was almost rewarded with a try.

But Saints made it 12-0 midway through the first half with Wellens taking a smart return pass from Chris Flannery to cross with Lomax also involved in the move.

Fortune

Saints were unlucky to concede a penalty for obstruction and Cas took advantage of their good fortune for Paul Jackson to crash through a posse of defenders with Danny Orr landing the conversion.

Wellens was again the key man for Saints' third try with his long pass missing out two men to allow Makinson to squeeze over in the corner and take their advantage to 16-6.

Flannery latched onto Lomax's kick to extend the Saints lead to 20-6 just before the break and leave Cas facing a near-impossible task.

The Tigers could not be faulted for their effort and sterling defence kept out Makinson early in the second half.

But a full length of the field try from Makinson after collecting a Richard Owen kick near his own line stretched the lead to 26-6 with Wheeler booting the conversion.

Wheeler grabbed Saints sixth try from Hohaia's kick and landed his second goal to make it 32-6.

The Tigers problems piled up when Swift went over with Wheeler again on target.

Lomax scored a deserved try to extend the lead before Steve Snitch crossed for the Tigers' second touchdown with eight minutes left.

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