Super League: St Helens 30-16 Huddersfield Giants
Last Updated: 08/02/16 9:41am
Jordan Turner notched his 100th career try as St Helens romped to a 30-16 Super League victory over Huddersfield at Langtree Park on Friday night.
Mark Percival also scored two tries for Saints, who adapted better than the Giants to the difficult conditions.
Huddersfield, who have finished in the top three for the last three seasons, handed debuts to Ryan Hinchcliffe, Sam Rapira and Daniel Smith but were missing injured quartet Joe Wardle, Craig Huby, Kyle Wood and Luke Robinson.
Huddersfield made a bright start with a long-range Jamie Ellis kick just rolling over the dead-ball line, but it was Saints who opened the scoring after seven minutes on their first real attack.
A Jon Wilkin kick was pounced on by Percival for the first score, but Luke Walsh could not convert from the touchline.
Hinchcliffe did his best to get the Giants back on level terms with a scuttling burst from dummy half, but was held short before Adam Swift made a timely interception.
Huddersfield kept up the pressure and were rewarded with a try in the corner from Aaron Murphy after slick handling from a scrum after 13 minutes.
A Danny Brough 40/20 kept Saints on the back foot, but the home side notched their second try when Atelea Vea dribbled the ball over the line from Walsh's kick to open up a 10-4 lead.
Shortly thereafter, Huddersfield were again hit on the counter-attack, with Percival cutting inside Scott Grix from Jack Owens' pass for his second try three minutes before the break, and Walsh adding the difficult conversion.
The Giants almost scored before the break, but Grix's kick rolled over the line with Murphy ready to pounce, leaving Saints 16-4 ahead at half-time.
Huddersfield suffered a blow when skipper Brough failed to reappear after the break and they almost fell further behind, but Leroy Cudjoe came to the rescue when Wilkin chased down a Walsh kick.
Turner then forced his way over for his milestone try after 48 minutes, with Walsh adding the goal to make it 22-4.
Ukuma Ta'ai pulled a try back for Huddersfield before Roby went off but Saints replied when Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook tapped back a Walsh kick for Luke Thompson to cross and make it 28-10.
Huddersfield's injury woes continued with Grix going off with a shoulder injury but they never gave up and deserved Jake Connor's try from an Ellis kick.
Walsh then struck a late penalty to make it five goals from six attempts as Saints saw out the win.
Watch St Helens in Super League action away to Salford on Thursday, live on Sky Sports 2 HD from 7.30pm. Huddersfield host Wigan next Friday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 7.30pm.