A hat-trick from Adam Swift helped St Helens gain a comfortable 36-6 victory tonight over Widnes Vikings at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
Swift has been edged out of the St Helens regular matchday 17 this season by Regan Grace, but tonight he came in for Tommy Makinson on the right wing and showed St Helens supporters that he is still a valuable member of their team’s squad. Ben Barba and Ryan Morgan were also missing from the Saints squad, which meant that Jonny Lomax moved to fullback, Theo Fages made a rare start and Matty Costello replaced Morgan in the centre.
Saints led 20-0 at half-time through tries from Zeb Taia, Mark Percival, Swift and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, with Danny Richardson adding three conversions.
The Vikings replied early in the second half with a try from Danny Craven, goaled by Krisnan Inu, but Swift added two more tries and Theo Fages added another
Saints: 1 Jonny Lomax, 5 Adam Swift, 30 Matty Costello, 4 Mark Percival, 19 Regan Grace, 6 Theo Fages, 18 Danny Richardson, 10 Kyle Amor, 9 James Roby, 16 Luke Thompson, 17 Dominique Peyroux, 11 Zeb Taia, 12 Jon Wilkin; Subs: 13 Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, 14 Luke Douglas, 15 Morgan Knowles, 20 Matty Lees
Tries: Taia, Percival, Swift 3, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Fages Goals: Richardson 4
Vikings: 1 Rhys Hanbury, 2 Stefan Marsh, 4 Charly Runciman, 3 Krisnan Inu, 40 Owen Buckley, 6 Joe Mellor, 15 Danny Craven, 25 Jay Chapelhow, 33 Aaron Heremaia, 8 Gil Dudson, 17 Sam Wilde, 39 Weller Hauraki, 10 Alex Gerrard; Subs: 12 Matt Whitley, 16 Tom Olbison, 20 MacGraff Leuluai, 23 Danny Walker
Tries: Craven Goals: Inu
A full match report and photos will feature in Monday’s League Express, available at all good newsagents and online from Sunday night.