Super League: Huddersfield Giants' winning run ended by St Helens

Paul Wellens: Got the response he wanted following defeat to Warrington

Saints skipper Paul Wellens had labelled his side's heavy derby defeat to Warrington in Manchester an "embarrassment", while coach Nathan Brown questioned his players' attitude.

The hosts produced the perfect response at Langtree Park, Wellens being among the tryscorers on his record-equalling 419th Super League, with Gary Wheeler grabbing a brace and Lance Hohaia, Matty Dawson, Jon Wilkin and Mose Masoe also crossing the line.

St Helens, who lost 40-4 in the corresponding match in 2013, were on the front foot from the kick-off and stung their visitors with three tries in the first 13 minutes.

Influential Australian scrum-half Luke Walsh got Saints rolling by putting second rower Wilkin through a gap to create the position which eventually allowed Wheeler to reach over the line.

James Roby, putting in another impressive performance at hooker, then broke out of his own half to send stand-off Hohaia over before Wellens finished off a half-break from Walsh to touch down.

Walsh converted all three scores to make it 18-0 but Huddersfield gradually worked their way into the game and pulled a try back on 17 minutes when forward Larne Patrick took Danny Brough's pass to charge over from 10 metres out.

Deficit

Brough's goal cut the deficit to 12 points but former Huddersfield winger Dawson made it 22-6 after taking Wellens' pass to score a fourth try after he had intercepted near his own line to set up the field position.

Hohaia also had a try disallowed by video referee Phil Bentham for obstruction but Saints were good value for their 16-point half-time lead, which they quickly built on after the break.

A knock-on by Jason Chan inside his own half gifted Saints the ideal attacking position and they made the most of it, with Wilkin racing onto Walsh's kick over the defence to touch down.

Winger Ben Blackmore briefly gave the visitors hope with a try on his first appearance of the season after Leroy Cudjoe snatched possession straight from the restart, but it did little to halt Saints' momentum.

Powerful prop Masoe took Roby's pass over the line to double his try tally for the club before Huddersfield got one back when Brett Ferres marked his 200th Super League appearance by touching down Brough's kick.

The game really opened up in the final quarter, with Wheeler hacking on a loose ball to grab his second try and Cudjoe pouncing on a handling error at the other end to enable Blackmore to double his tally. The video referee disallowed other efforts at either end.

Walsh took his goal tally to six from seven attempts before wrapping up the scoring with a drop goal 90 seconds from the end.