Saints tie Cats in knots
St Helens claimed a fifth straight Super League win with a nine-try demolition of Wakefield at the Stobart Stadium.
By Ben Sullivan
Last Updated: 15/04/11 10:05pm
St Helens claimed a fifth straight Super League win with a nine-try demolition of Wakefield at the Stobart Stadium.
After a slow start to the season, the perennial Grand Finalists are once again on the tail of the leaders and this was the perfect preparation for next Friday's derby clash at champions Wigan.
Wakefield never stopped battling but for all their bravery and commitment, the Wildcats were outclassed by a St Helens side which was rock solid in defence and often mesmerising in attack.
The visitors survived 16 minutes before Paul Wellens' cut-out pass put Jamie Foster in at the corner, with Foster converting his own score from the touchline.
Jonny Lomax was next on the scoreboard as he skipped through the defence to score from close range and while Wakefield continued to muscle up in defence, they carried no attacking threat at all.
Just past the half hour mark Jon Wilkin attacked the short blind side and Foster was on his shoulder to race in unopposed, then add the conversion.
A fourth converted try just about settled it, after Saints forced a fourth goal-line drop-out and moments later Michael Shenton spun out of the tackle to score his 100th career try.
Flawless
Wakefield's try arrived four minutes after the break, but it was gifted to them so no fault could attach to Saints' flawless defence.
Wilkin attempted a chip over the top but put the ball straight into the arms of Chris Dean, who ran 70 metres to score.
That was only a brief interlude to the one-way traffic.
Scott Blaymire knocked on a high kick and Ade Gardner was immediately over in the corner, before Tony Puletua and James Roby combined to send Gary Wheeler in.
Lomax' short pass created a try for Wellens, then Wheeler shimmied through a tiring defence and Puletua touched down.
The ninth try arrived with 30 seconds left, 19-year-old Tom Makinson intercepting and sprinting 80 metres for the score under the posts, with Foster knocking over his eighth conversion from nine attempts.
