Saints 62 Leeds Rhinos 18 SCINTILLATING Saints sent their faithful supporters into ecstasies with this 12-try 'four-pointer' against the Challenge Cup winners on Tuesday, and tightened their grip on the league leadership en-route.

But Leeds' coach Graham Murray was furious that his side had to come to Knowsley Road just three days after the Cup showdown.

Understandable perhaps, but it should be pointed out that the Rhinos are full-time professionals who put their Wembley celebrations on hold to prepare for the game, and fielded 13 of Saturday's line-up, despite Leeds' proud boast of a large squad.

Memories are short, and it should be remembered that shorthanded Saints dealt Bradford a similar thrashing on Easter Monday - just three days after the epic victory at Wigan, and I do not recall any bleatings from Saints when losing the Cup tie at Headingley via a plethora of penalty goals.

One is tempted to wonder what the response would have been had Leeds won but, on a more positive note, nothing should be allowed to detract from a Saints' performance which - lacking Kevin Iro and Tommy Martyn - was studded with brilliant tries, awesome defence, superb support work and will to win.

In short a ruthlessly professional performance as Saints moved to a record victory over Leeds, the last side to win at Knowsley Road 12 months ago, while another cause for joy for Saints was that they have now won all eight games in the cut-throat Super League.

In what was essentially a massive team effort, seven goal-two try Sean Long took the McAlpine/John Smith sponsors man-of-the-match award, but the media response to this often-thorny question was that all 17 Saints deserved the accolade.

A five-figure crowd spelled 'atmosphere' and Saints were in the right frame of mind within six minutes when Scott Barrow and Paul Newlove put Anthony Sullivan over in the corner, and more was to come when Keiron Cunningham, Paul Sculthorpe and Barrow carved out a gap for 'Newy' to cross.

Long converted the latter try, and when Julian O'Neill, 'Scully,' Apollo Perelini and Anthony Stewart sent in Long for another six-pointer Saints were on their way to victory in being 16-0 up in as many minutes. Leeds had other ideas however, and there was no sign of a Wembley hang-over when captain Ryan Sheridan's 'bomb' had Saints' defence in a tangle and Darren Fleary strolled over, then Francis Cummins touched down a Sheridan chip-through, and with Kevin Sinfield converting both the issue was in the balance.

Barrow and Long sent in captain Chris Joynt to put Saints 22-12 ahead, before distributor supreme Scott did likewise for Sculthorpe at a point when Rhinos centre Brad Godden was despatched to the sin-bin for holding down Fereti Tuilagi.

Now a big favourite on the Knowsley Road terraces, Saints' latest Western Samoan then thundered through for Cunningham to act as link-man to Stewart as the home side wrapped up a six-try first half by leading 30-12.

And it was a similar story on the restart as Saints continued to run amok with another six-of-the-best display, which was sparked by a 30-yard solo by Long, followed by a brilliant Stewart break with Paul Atcheson adding the finishing touch beneath the pavilion posts.

Barrow and Cunningham laid on a second try for Sullivan; Sonny Nickle celebrated his 30th birthday by plunging over following a movement started in midfield, and there was no respite for the reluctant Rhinos when Long's grubber to the corner was seized upon by Long.

A Saints' defence which had stood firm for 50 minutes was at last breached when Andy Hay scored a consolation try for Leeds, but Joynt and his men had the last say when Sullivan and Newlove engineered a first touchdown of the season for Chris Smith.

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