Saints 70 Warrington 16 SAINTS' 12-try demolition of toothless Warrington Wolves left a calling card to top five pretenders that they are not going to relinquish their grip on the Super League trophy lightly. The pre-match announcement of Aussie powerhouse David Fairleigh signing on for a second year set the tone for the evening -- sending a buzz around the crowd which lifted the team. It all went to script from there, as Wolves coach Darryl van de Velde gloomily muttered afterwards: "It all went wrong from the kick-off!"
All week the Wolves had been sharpening their claws in anticipation of a first Super League win at Knowsley Road - a feeling based on the triumphant Alfie Langer's return and Saints' back-to-back losses - and they brought a big contingent.
But the noticeably tighter Saints defence smothered the life out of the visitors - the World Club Champions tackled stronger, ran harder, kicked more sensibly and off-loaded better. Wolves were never in the hunt and were ruthlessly put down like a pack of lame, toothless dogs.
For the first time since April, 1999, Saints' team sheet was missing skipper Chris Joynt's name, who was joined by Keiron Cunningham on the sidelines.
That Saints could overcome the loss of these two giants - as well Paul Newlove, Sean Long and Peter Shiels - was down to a magnificent team effort superbly marshalled by stand-in skipper Paul Sculthorpe, but also quality displays from the players stepping up.
Second-row John Stankevitch and hooker Mick Higham both had superb all-round games and must have run Sculthorpe close for the man of the match award.
Stankevitch, whose fortune at Saints seemed to be on the wane in the post-Twickenham period, has literally fought his way out of the Alliance side into first team recognition and back to the negotiating table for a new contract. His running was fearless, tackling spot-on and his off-loads created countless opportunities for supporting colleagues. He bagged one try himself and fittingly created the one for second-row partner David Fairleigh to bring up Saints' half-century.
Saints' coach Ian Millward was pleased with the way Stankevitch has risen to the challenge and said: "He was given an opportunity and was hungry for it. He is off contract and he wants to stay here.
"I gave him a run in the first team last week and he backed that up this week. He improved on that, but it is all about competition. I thought John was very good today."
Higham was a real box of tricks, capping a superb performance with a late try -- picking Lee Briers' chip-through off his bootlaces to race 90 metres for a touch down. The former Leigh hooker had shown his pace in the tenth minute when he covered back magnificently to haul down a try-line-bound Ian Sibbit. He also added a new dimension to Saints' attacking play and with pace like that it may be tempting to give him a crack at scrum-half in Long's absence, although Ian Millward is keen for Higham to continue his hooking apprenticeship under Cunningham's wing.
"I am very appreciative of the time and ecouragement Keiron gives Mick. Keiron knows he is not threatened but it is all part of a tech and uni course that Mick is doing at the moment and one day he will become a fully-blown Super League player and maybe an international like Keiron," Millward said.
Saints' cause was helped just before the interval by the sin-binning of Wolves' petulant loose-forward Tawera Nikau after loudly and foolishly questioning referee Bob Connolly's decision.
In contrast opposite number Sculthorpe, playing against his former club, was once again ultra-professional, grabbing a personal points haul of 30 - two tries and 11 goals from 12 attempts. The highlight was a 50-metre score, taking the ball from the base of the scrum, beating off the first challenge before outpacing the cover. Speed, skill and strength - Sculthorpe has the lot and on this form deserves to be wearing the number 13 jersey for the autumn's Ashes series, irrespective of selectors' favourites.
Millward was delighted with his skipper for the day. "He is going to get better, because that is the sort of person he is. He keeps challenging himself. I think Scully really has come of age especially with some of the injuries we have had, he has had to take on a more senior role," he said.
The triumph was ample revenge for the 56-22 mauling Saints suffered at Wilderspool in April and tidies up their points difference column. Mindful of wiping out their springtime thrashings, Saints have a similar mission on Friday when Leeds come to town. Clockwatch 4 minutes. Tony Stewart forces his way over in the corner. Paul Sculthorpe's touchline conversion attempt hits the post. 4-0.
8. Wayne McDonald powers over after an audacious back flip pass from Sean Hoppe at dummy half. Sculthorpe converts. 10-0.
19. Hoppe intercepts a Langer pass and races 90 metres. Sculthorpe converts. 16-0.
29. Stankevitch powers over, Sculthorpe converts 22-0.
31. Hoppe races over for his second. Sculthorpe tags on the extras. 28-0.
36. Wolves' Lee Penny beats off a weak Steve Hall challenge to go over in the corner. Lee Briers converts 28-6.
39. Nikau sin-binned for dissent.
39. A trademark stop and turn Martyn try, converted by Sculthorpe, concludes the first half scoring at 34-6.
41. Dave Kidwell crosses for Wolves, Briers converts 34-12.
44. Sculthorpe goes solo from a scrum on the half way line, and adds on the extras. 40-12.
48. Hall rounds off good work from Hoppe to weave over out wide, Sculthorpe converts. 46-12.
54. David Fairleigh works a neat run-around with Stankevitch to bring up the 50, Sculthorpe converts. 52-12.
67. Paul Wellens carves open the Wolves for Sculthorpe to cross and then add the extras.
70. McDonald reacts first to a Sculthorpe grubber and his conversion makes it 64-12.
75. Heavyweight Steve McCurrie barges over for Wolves, Briers converts. 64-16.
79. Mick Higham collects a Briers' chip to race 90 metres for a try. Sculthorpe's goal concludes the massacre at 70-16. How they lined up Saints: Stewart; Hall, Iro, Hoppe, Sullivan; Martyn, Wellens; Nickle, Higham, McDonald, Fairleigh, Stankevitch, Sculthorpe. Substitutes: Edmondson for Cruckshank (38), Jonkers for Nickle (32), Cruckshank for McDonald (28), McDonald for Fairleigh (65), Bennett for Martyn (67).
Warrington: Hunte; Smyth, Kidwell, Sibbit, Penny; Briers, Langer; Guissett, Clarke, Nutley, Busby, Mercer, Nikau. Substitutes: McCurrie for Busby (20), Massella for Guisset (51), Noone for Mercer BB 33, reversed 58), Wood for Nutley (41).
Referee: Bob Connolly (Wigan).
Attendance: 8,113.
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