Halifax Blue Sox 18 Saints 26

PICTURED: ALAN HUNTE

'WHAT a difference a win makes!' enthused a delighted fan after seeing crisis club Saints emerge from six days in the wilderness with this magnificent, unexpected victory at Thrum Hall on Sunday night.

It was just the tonic supporters needed and the triumph was all the more commendable as Saints had no fewer than 10 players missing through injury. However, such depletion allowed keen-as-mustard youngsters to restore pride and passion to Saints' tattered image for they, along with the established members of the side, provided that vital ingredient for success which had been conspicious by its absence against Wigan - effort! So take a bow 18-year-old debutant Jason Johnson, who performed with the aplomb of a veteran throughout, as did substitutes Alan Cross (also 18), Kevin O'Loughlin and Richard Shiel who are both just 20, and have benefited from the experience of playing in the Academy and Alliance squads. Last, but by no means least, of the tenderfoots was De La Salle School product Scott Barrow who, at16, joins the select few to have worn the Saints' jersey when scarcely old enough to shave and certainly not to vote.

Just a whisker up the age scale Andy Haigh had an outstanding game as stand-in full-back before spraining an ankle, while Dean Busby had his best 80 minutes since arriving at Knowsley Road from Hull.

Skipper Bobbie Goulding broke through the pain-barrier of an impending hernia operationand if this reborn Saints' side were in need of further inspiration surely it came via the commanding figure of Alan Hunte, backfor the first time since damaging an hamstring against Warrington in April.

Saints opened the scoring when, following a brilliant break by Haigh, Vila Matautia sent Anthony Sullivan over and Haigh then preserved the visitors' 4-0 lead with a try-saving tackle on Halifax full-back Mike Umaga.

The Thrum Hallers sampled Goulding's quick-thinking when he spotted Umaga had not regained position, and Bobbie's 50-yard punt to the line saw Danny Arnold plunge over for another six-pointer and further disaster befell Blue Sox as Martin Pearson dropped the ball for Matautia to send Sullivan haring 50 yards to score under the posts.

So, with 25 minutes on the clock, Saints enjoyed the luxury of a 16-0 advantage before Goulding and Halifax hooker Paul Rowley departed for the sin-bin after a spot of bother, and consolidation arrived for the visitors on half-time when Chris Morley put Arnold away, and the winger turned the ball inside for Hunte to touch down. The enforced absence of Goulding enabled Anderson tack on the extra points, and this came at a point when Umaga was being placed on report by referee David Campbell for 'taking out' Arnold after he had parted with the ball.

Goulding then signalled his return to the fray with a piece of sheer genius when he dribbled through before tapping the ball to Arnold who touched down by the corner flag.

But, the undulating Thrum Hall pitch and its notorious incline tend to have a decided influence on the scoring of points as Halifax demonstrated by springing into late contention in scoring three converted tries without reply.

Those home touchdowns came from Chris Chester, David Bouveng and Martin Moana, with Pearson goaling all three - but Saints certainly did not enjoy the rub-of-the-green when Sullivan intercepted and raced away over 60 unchallenged yards only to be brought back for offside - a marginal decision indeed!

Halifax Blue Sox: Umaga; Amone, Moana, Bouveng, Tuilagi; Pearson, Dean; Harrison, Rowley, Slicker, Highton, Gillespie, Chester. Substitutes Jackson for Gillespie (33), Powell for Slicker (40), Munro for Amone (75).

Saints: Haigh; Arnold, Hunte, Matautia, Sullivan; Johnson, Goulding; Leathem, Anderson, O'Neill, Booth, Morley, Busby. Substitutes Cross for Matautia (29), Sheil for Booth (53), Matautia for Haigh (56), O'Loughlin for Hunte (63), Barrow for Anderson (70).

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