HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS 18 ST HELENS 26
DAVE CRAVEN, John Smith’s Stadium, Thursday

ST HELENS went back top of Super League – but only after holding off Huddersfield Giants’ second half fightback.

Saints were cruising 24-0 at half-time after England star Jack Welsby came up with some big plays to put them in control.

But bottom-placed Giants, with just two wins all season, gave them a fright after Asher O’Donnell, Adam Swift and Niall Evalds all scored tries after the break.

On-loan Oldham hooker Cole Geyer also made a promising debut for the Fartowners but Saints held on to make it 14 straight wins against the West Yorkshire side, who have not defeated them now in more than six years.

Saints welcomed back Curtis Sironen for the first time since suffering a calf injury in mid-March and club legend Jonny Lomax made his 400th career appearance from the bench.

They were without skipper Matty Lees following his season-ending knee injury in Saturday’s 32-0 Challenge Cup semi-final drubbing against Wigan Warriors.

Paul Rowley’s men couldn’t score during the entire 80 minutes last weekend, but they took less than three minutes to break the deadlock here, Welsby making the all-important break from inside his own half to set up Harry Robertson for the try.

And when youngster Lewis Jagger spilled on his own line soon after, Rowley’s side swiftly punished them again, Lewis Murphy crossing.

Much of the damage Huddersfield incurred was self-inflicted. Tui Lolohea, the experienced Tonga stand-off who should know better than his rookie team-mate, coughed up the ball at his own end with no one near him.

He also went onto kick two goalline drop-outs directly into touch before the first-half was up, inviting more pressure.

O’Donnell’s handling error hadn’t been punished but when ex-Saints winger Swift fumbled playing the ball in the shadow of his own posts, the visitors did strike in the 19th minute.

Welsby delivered a superb cut-out pass for in-form winger Owen Dagnall to cross, who kept his spot despite the availability of former Queensland State of Origin winger Aussie Kyle Feldt.

After Lolohea’s second miscued drop-out, George Delaney bulldozed over in the final moments of the first half.

But Oliver Russell 40/20 kick started the revival. In the next set, Lolohea’s lofted chip led to O’Donnell touching down in the 50th minute, Russell improving.

Saints struggled to rediscover their first-half dominance and, with the Giants finding their groove, the deficit was cut further.

Some slick handling to the left from Evalds and Gagai was finished off expertly by Swift in the 62nd minute, Russell again improving.

But the pressure was immediately released when they conceded a penalty for dissent and Hastings slotted two points.

There was still time for Huddersfield – who gave a debut to on-loan Hull KR winger Lee Kershaw – to expose some feeble goalline defence for Evalds to score. But they ran out of time to complete an unlikely fightback.

GAMESTAR: Jack Welsby was probably the pick of the bunch for some bits of class in a low-quality game.

GAMEBREAKER: That fourth try just before half-time turned out to be the nail in Huddersfield’s coffin.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Jack Welsby’s sizzling break for Harry Robertson’s opening try.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Jack Welsby (St Helens)
2 pts Joe Shorrocks (St Helens)
1 pt Adam Swift (Huddersfield)

GIANTS
1 Niall Evalds
41 Lee Kershaw (D)
3 Jacob Gagai
42 Lewis Jagger
2 Adam Swift
6 Tui Lolohea
32 Olly Russell
8 Tristan Powell
9 Zac Woolford
14 Fenton Rogers
11 Asher O’Donnell
23 Chris Patolo
13 Harry Rushton
Subs (all used)
4 Taane Milne
15 Matty English
16 George King
40 Cole Geyer (D)
18th man (not used)
17 Joe Greenwood
Also in 21-man squad
20 Mathieu Cozza
22 Jack Billington
28 Logan Blacker

Tries: O’Donnell (50), Swift (62), Evalds (75)
Goals: Russell 3/3

SAINTS
6 Tristan Sailor
24 Owen Dagnall
3 Harry Robertson
5 Deon Cross
20 Lewis Murphy
1 Jack Welsby
31 Jackson Hastings
8 Alex Walmsley
9 Daryl Clark
13 David Klemmer
16 Matt Whitley
12 Shane Wright
22 Joe Shorrocks
Subs (all used)
7 Jonny Lomax
11 Curtis Sironen
15 George Delaney
28 Jake Davies
18th man (not used)
2 Kyle Fledt
Also in 21-man squad
17 George Whitby
29 Alfie Sinclair
30 Tom Humphreys

Tries: Robertson (3), Murphy (6), Dagnall (19), Delaney (39)
Goals: Hastings 5/5

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-24; 6-24, 12-24, 12-26, 18-26

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Giants: Adam Swift; Saints: Jack Welsby

Penalty count: 4-4
Half-time: 0-24
Referee: Chris Kendall
Attendance: 3,624