St Helens thrash Huddersfield to take third spot

Betfred Super League

St Helens (24) 52

Tries: Percival (2), Feldt (2), Sailor (2), Dagnall, Lomax, Knowles, Goals: Feldt 8

Huddersfield (4) 4

Tries: Greenwood

Tristan Sailor delivered a virtuoso performance, scoring two tries and setting up two more, as St Helens dismantled Huddersfield Giants to move into third in the Super League table.

A superb individual showing from the 27-year-old Queenslander, who now has 18 tries this season, was the glitter on an eighth Saints win in their past nine outings.

And it was a victory that served notice that Paul Wellens's improving side will prove a significant barrier in this sort of form for whichever opposition they face in the play-offs.

Victory left the Merseyside outfit just two points behind second-placed Wigan with five games to go in the regular season and, in bright sunshine at the Totally Wicked Stadium, the result was never in doubt.

Saints were on the board early after a Sailor burst fed Daryl Clark, who in turn put in Mark Percival after nine minutes, but it was a yellow card for Giants centre Taane Milne in the first half which opened the floodgates.

Milne was penalised for a shove and some verbals, and while he stewed on his indiscipline on the bench, Saints ran riot, extending their lead from 6-0 to 24-0 with tries from Kyle Feldt, Sailor - who picked off a high ball brilliantly - and Owen Dagnall.

Huddersfield were troubled by Sailor's lightning pace all afternoon and while Joe Greenwood burst through Jonny Lomax to get the Giants on the board seven minutes before the break, Saints returned after it in irrepressible form.

Sailor assisted Lomax in the opening minute of the second period, Morgan Knowles spun over the line from close range on 48, and Percival added a second on 55 minutes as Saints went 42-4 up.

After Feldt went over, Sailor saved the best until last, securing his second and Saints' ninth try, with a blistering 60-metre charge, rounding full-back George Flanagan to go down under the posts.

Feldt took the extras to take his kicking to a near flawless eight out of nine.

Further good news for Saints as they look forward to the play-offs - which this win surely as good as secured for them - was a 30-minute appearance off the bench for Jack Welsby as well as return of long-term casualties Joe Batchelor and James Bell from injury.

Welsby suffered a serious knee injury at the beginning of June, undergoing surgery which medics expected to keep him out of action for 16 weeks, threatening his entire season and probably his participation in the the Ashes against Australia this autumn.

Welsby defied the prognosis, returning in 10 weeks to add further to the feeling that the cards may be falling into place for Saints as the business end of the season approaches.

St Helens: Sailor, Feldt, Robertson, Percival, Dagnall, Lomax, Mbye, Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Batchelor, Whitley, Knowles

Interchanges: Welsby, Bell, Paasi, Delaney

Huddersfield: Flanagan, Halsall, Bibby, Milne, Gagai, Rush, Frawley, Rogers, Woolford, Powell, Greenwood, Rushton, Cudjoe

Interchanges: Golding, English, King, Wilson

Sin bin: Milne (18 mins)

Referee: Jack Smith.