Wigan 44 Saints 10

SATURDAY night proved to be one game too far for a leg-weary and injury ravaged Saints side, who, at the home of their bitterest rivals, were forced to surrender the Super League crown they have worn for two years.

On-song Wigan had too much power and pace for jaded Saints who showed every sign of a side whose season had gone a month longer than their rivals.

It has been quite a spectacular twelve months for Saints with the thrills and spills of last year's play-offs, the magnificent World Club Championship win over Brisbane and the glorious Challenge Cup run - the rollercoaster had to hit the buffers sooner or later.

Although never-say-die Saints did not roll over in the face of a rampant Wigan onslaught, they looked a poor shadow of the team that had rattled in those early season victories. Their tired attack coughed up too much ball, too early in their sets of six and each mishap was ruthlessly punished.

Terry Newton, vying with Keiron Cunningham for a Great Britain spot, relished in the room he was afforded around the rucks and was at the hub of almost everything Wigan did. With Newton and Matthew Johns excelling in midfield, skipper Andy Farrell was allowed the room to expose Saints weaknesses out wide, particularly in the second half.

Saints, although valiant to the death, were outsmarted at half back, out-muscled in the middle and yards behind for pace in the three-quarters. After the game Saints boss Ian Millward was not looking for excuses when he said: "The scoreboard says that physically it was a game too far, Wigan were great and the best team won.

"But I have to say it has been a great year for us when you see what we have achieved. The players deserve to walk out of here with their heads held high." The pre-match talking point had focused on whether Millward would gamble on Sean Long, the inspirational half back who has been missing since being taken out by a late tackle at Huddersfield in May. Millward, as he said from the outset, declined against the long shot.

Saints have sorely missed Long's zip, but a player lacking match fitness would not have made that much difference on Saturday night. Wigan were classy and hungry as you would expect from a side desperate to claim some silverware to justify their salary cap busting outlay.

The Warriors sensed they were never going to have a better chance to topple Saints in a big game and bossed the opening quarter. When Aussie second row David Furner stormed through in the seventh minute the writing was on the wall, although they were given a temporary reprieve by the video referee.

Four minutes later Farrell shrugged off a weak tackle from the usually dependable John Stankevitch before turning the ball inside for the supporting Adrian Lam.

Spreading the ball from flank to flank, Wigan had the Saints defence in tangles four minutes later and were only denied by a Steve Renouf knock on.

Kevin Iro, always a player for the big game, grabbed what should prove to be his last try for Saints when he powered through from close range to kick start a recovery which looked to be continuing when Tommy Martyn's chip only narrowly evaded the grasping fingers of the supporting Cunningham.

Although teams write Saints off at their peril, Wigan simply stuck to their guns and chipped away at a side tiring by the minute. A try apiece by Kris Radlinski and Newton along with two Farrell conversions and a penalty gave Wigan a commanding 20-6 interval lead. Tries by Lam and Johns shortly after the restart removed all doubt, even from a side who could give Lazarus a few lessons in come-backs.

Sculthorpe's close range try gave one last show of defiance, but the game was up with a brace from Irish flier Brian Carney concluding matters. Afterwards Kevin Iro, David Fairleigh, Vila Matautia, Heath Cruckshank and Steve Hall took possibly their final bow in front of the Saints magnificent massed ranks of fans rammed into North Stand. The supporters were magnificent and out-shouted the hosts, bizarrely even 30 minutes after the final whistle.

How they lined up Wigan: Radlinski; Dallas, Renouf, Connolly, Carney; Johns, Lam; O'Connor, Newton, Howard, Cassidy, Furner, Farrell. Subs: Cowie, Johnson, Chester, Betts. Saints: Wellens; Hall, Iro, Hoppe, Stewart; Sculthorpe, Martyn; Fairleigh, Cunningham, Matautia, Shiels, Stankevitch, Joynt. Substitutes: Edmondson, Jonkers, Higham, Cruckshank. Attendance: 19, 290.