Saints rip Wigan apart

What else can one say about Saints' performance after this rip-roarer in the Knowsley Road cauldron on Good Friday?

Victory over the old enemy is always sweet but few more than this when, trailing within four minutes against full-strength Wigan, short-handed Saints bounced back with half-a-dozen rafter-raising tries.

Breathtaking football en-route was further evidence that open rugby disciple Ian Millward has released Saints from the shackles, with the other plus being that attention to defence has not escaped his eagle eye.

For, after their early try, previously unbeaten Wigan were held at bay for fully 50 minutes as Saints moved inexorably to only their second success in 10 outings against the Warriors and extended their winning run to five games.

Sampling his first derby, coach Millward said he was happy about the quality of Saints' display but not about some of the video rulings.

Man-of-the-match selections are contentious issues and, on a day when all in a red-and-white jersey won their spurs, the votes ultimately went to full-back Paul Wellens and second-rower Freddie Tuilagi.

Playing in his first full Wigan clash, Wellens never put a foot wrong, while the tackling and running of tearaway Tuilagi was a sight to behold.

Midfield trio two-try Tommy Martyn, seven-goal Sean Long and ruler-of-the-ruck Keiron Cunningham, plus hat-trick hero Kevin Iro, also had crucial roles in a win that will work wonders for morale.

In a terrific pack performance prop Apollo Perelini is back to his best, partner Julian O'Neill scored a rare try, while another derby debutant in John Stankevitch stood his corner against a Wigan side best served by Denis Betts and Willie Peters, who was denied a try by a miraculous tackle by Wellens. Wigan were first out of the blocks when Peters and skipper Andy Farrell sent Paul Johnson between the Eccleston posts, with Farrell converting.

"Here we go again!" I thought. But Saints side refused panic and roared back, first via a penalty from Long which was followed by O'Neill's six-pointer when Mick Cassidy lost possession.

Kris Radlinski's on-the-full restart saw Saints capitalise immediately when Martyn and Long put the linking Wellens under way, with Paul's incredible sleight-of-hand sending in Iro. Longy goaled from touch.

A 40-20 from Peters gave Farrell chance to cut Wigan's arrears to14-8 with 20 minutes gone, and two incidents before half-time then demonstrated that, while video technology has its virtues, it can be a nightmare in certain situations.

First, after Cunningham and Long set up Martyn's first try it seemed an eternity before the score was confirmed, and then the endless scenario was repeated, but on this occasion Iro's effort was disallowed because of alleged ball-stealing three tackles earlier.

Had that decision favoured Saints their lead could have been 26-8, but relieved Wigan put the issue back into the melting pot on the restart when Simon Haughton sent Radlinski over for Farrell to convert.

Chris Smith (on Robinson) and Tuilagi (on Connolly) saved Saints' bacon with try-saving tackles, before captain Chris Joynt broke brilliantly but failed to spot the unmarked Anthony Sullivan as Saints searched for consolidation.

And they found it in a good style with 18 unanswered points initally through a Long penalty, before supremely confident Saints then put a foaming top on a heady brew indeed with a trio of top-drawer touchdowns.

Martyn and Long engineered Iro's second from a scrum before Joynt had a try refused, but Sean Hoppe and Martyn gave Kevin the opportunity to complete a Super League hat-trick against Wigan.

Woebegone Wigan lost Connolly and Johnson through injury, and it fell to Martyn to set the seal on a great day with a superb solo try.