Saints smash sorry Salford

Paul Wellens bagged four of St Helens' ten tries as they powered away to a 58-34 success over Salford on Friday night.

A real try fest of a game so the teams combine for 16 tries in all, with even the Reds crossing six times despite being soundly beaten by the hosts.

The Reds pulled off a surprise victory at the Willows in May and actually led after 20 minutes when Ryan Boyle and Adam Sidlow cancelled out Ade Gardner's early effort for Saints.

A four-try burst including two from Wellens and one each from Tony Puletua and Leon Pryce put Saints in control, although they could never truly put the Reds away as they answered try for try from then on.

Sidlow added a second while Daniel Holdsworth, Mark Henry and Ashley Gibson all went over for Salford, but they could not stop Saints at the other end.

Wellens crossed twice more, Pryce completed his double, and Chris Flannery and Matty Ashurst also went over while Jonny Lomax kicked nine out of ten conversions for his 18-point haul.

Early score

Saints went ahead after six minutes with Scott Moore's flick allowing Wellens to send Gardner over in the corner.

But Salford stunned Saints by scoring with their first attack after a clever slipped pass by Phil Leuluai enabled Boyle to go over near the posts and Holdsworth tagged on the conversion.

Skipper Malcolm Alker, being released by the Reds at the end of the season, was prominent in the build-up, and he was again involved for the second try with Holdsworth supplying the pass for sub Sidlow to stretch the lead to 10-4 midway through the first half.

Saints levelled with Puletua's strength brushing off several defenders with Lomax's conversion making it 10-10.

Salford's defence was undone by slick handling from Scott Moore and Flannery for Wellens to race over with Lomax again on target.

Advantage

Saints stretched the advantage to 22-10 after an electrifying burst from Pryce. It was Pryce's skill which sent Wellens away for Saints' fourth try in nine minutes.

But Salford refused to concede defeat with Matty Smith engineering Sidlow's second try to cut the interval deficit to 28-16.

Flannery's converted try early in the second half gave Saints more breathing space but Mark Henry found a way through for Salford's fourth touchdown.

Wellens completed his hat-trick in the 57th minute before Ashley Gibson replied. Wellens added a fourth with others from Ashurst and Pryce.

But Salford kept plugging away with Holdsworth adding their sixth try to give Saints boss Mick Potter some cause for concern despite his side's half-century tally.