Saints secure final showdown

Veteran Sean Long is poised for an engage Super League Grand Final farewell with St Helens after scoring a try in the 14-10 victory over his former club Wigan on Saturday night.

The veteran scrum-half, who joins Hull next season, crossed just before half-time while Francis Meli scored twice to send Saints to Old Trafford next week and a third successive meeting with Leeds.

Defeat for Wigan leaves them still without a win at Knowsley Road in six years and signalled the end of Brian Noble's reign as head coach after he stepped down after the match.

Saints made a dream start when Kyle Eastmond shrugged off an attempted tackle by Sam Tomkins to get Meli over for the first try in only the second minute.

Try ruled out

Warriors winger Pat Richards looked to have levelled the scores shortly after only for video referee Ian Smith to rule out the try with Long doing just enough to deny Richards.

However, with Wigan holding their own Smith eventually allowed them to draw level on 23 minutes when centre George Carmont romped over following Tomkins' high kick.

Richards nudged his side ahead with the simplest of goals but Saints were looking to capitalise on the Warriors weak right flank and Meli nearly crossed only for replays to show he had a hand in touch.

But the try was not long in coming, 33-year-old Long squeezing over three minutes before half-time before Eastmond added the two to send the hosts in 10-6 ahead.

There was a greater sense of urgency after the break with the ultimate prize there for the taking, Saints forced to dig in early on as Wigan half-back Thomas Leuluai found Richards in space.

Strong finish

However, what turned out to be the clinching score came just four minutes in, substitute Paul Clough held up on the line before Meli took Long's pass out wide to cross unopposed.

At 14-6, Wigan, who had prop Andy Coley placed on report for a high tackle on Lee Gilmour, needed a strong finish and they threatened a tense finale with Leuluai and Tomkins leading the charge.

However, it was second rower Joel Tomkins who found a way through, running from his own half before finding Carmont in support before Richards finished off the move in the corner, touching down his own grubber kick.

But Richards was unable to convert his try and Saints held on for the final 10 minutes, relieved to hear the final hooter and another trip to Manchester.

It marks the end of the line Noble though, after three years at the JJB Stadium where he has been unable to replicate the success he enjoyed at Bradford earlier in his career.