Saints hold on against Trinity to go joint top

Betfred Super League

St Helens (16) 18

Tries: Davies, Feldt, Sailor Goals: Hastings 3

Wakefield (0) 12

Tries: Smoothy, Faatili Goals: Sinfield 2

St Helens withstood a strong second-half fightback by Wakefield Trinity to move level on points with Leeds Rhinos at the top of Super League.

Victory means Saints have won nine of their past 10 matches in all competitions, and they made light of the fact that Trinity arrived at the Brewdog Stadium in confident mood after winning six of their previous seven.

Facing the meanest defence in the competition to date, Saints stormed into a 16-0 half-time lead with tries from Jake Davies, Kyle Feldt and Tristan Sailor.

Trinity suffered from poor decision-making and some stiff Saints defence, but they found their feet in the second half and closed the gap as Tyson Smoothy and Caius Faatili both went over the line.

Saints had won the previous five meetings between these sides, but Wakefield have continued to improve after taking sixth in their first season back in Super League last year.

They were distinctly second-best in the first half, however, and were soon undone as Owen Dagnall's pace took them deep into Trinity territory and the power of Jake Davies did the rest, forcing his way over despite having two tacklers hanging on.

A looping pass from Jonny Lomax sent Feldt in for a sharp finish in the corner and then, after Harry Robertson had scattered the defence with a strong break, Hastings brilliantly threw a long pass out for Sailor, who accelerated through a gap to seemingly put the home side out of sight.

Paul Rowley's side were in uncompromising mood, typified by prop Alex Walmsley charging 50 metres to chase down Oliver Pratt as the wing threatened to break away, getting a huge cheer from the home support.

The momentum of the game swung eight minutes into the second half as Saints had a try disallowed, and Wakefield went down the other end and Smoothy brushed Sailor aside to power over and get them on the scoresheet.

Saints' sudden uncertainty showed as Jackson Hastings opted for two points from a penalty deep in opposition territory, and it looked a good decision as Corey Hall was centimetres short of another Wakefield try.

Saints began to wllt and Wakefield pressed hard, with Faatili going through a gap in the defence to close to within one converted try, but Saints held out to take the points.

St Helens: Sailor; Feldt, Robertson, Whitley, Dagnall; Lomax, Hastings; Klemmer, Clark, Lees, Wright, Davies, Shorrocks

Interchanges: Walmsley, Daleney, Whitby, Stephens

Wakefield: Rourke; Myers, Hall, Scott, Pratt; Trueman, Sinfield; McMeeken, Smith, Lolosio, Storton, Nikotemo, Pitts.

Interchanges: Smoothy, Rodwell, Hamlin-Uele, Faatili.

Referee: Jack Smith.