Saints storm back to humble Wakefield in vital win

Betfred Super League

Wakefield (16) 16

Tries: Smoothy, Vagana, Sinfield Goals: Sinfield 2

St Helens (12) 46

Tries: Sailor 3, Murphy 2, Keeley, Davies 2 Goals: Hastings 7

St Helens gave their fading hopes of making this season's play-offs a welcome boost by humbling Wakefield Trinity in their own back yard.

The visitors fought back from 10 points down, running in eight tries in total, to pick up just their second win in seven matches at a sun-kissed Belle Vue - and their biggestof the season so far.

A hat-trick from Tristan Sailor, two tries each from Lewis Murphy and Jake Davies, and Billy Keeley's first for the club, means Saints have cut the gap to sixth-placed Leigh Leopards to four points with four matches of the Super League season remaining.

Wakefield, meanwhile, miss the opportunity to guarantee their place in this year's play-offs with a second successive home loss following last Friday's narrow defeat by Leeds Rhinos.

After Nene MacDonald was pulled up for obstruction, Perth Bears-bound Tyson Smoothy rolled over from dummy half to open the scoring for Wakefield as Jack Sinfield added the extras via the upright.

Trinity made it two tries in five minutes when Sinfield showed a dummy and set up Isaiah Vagana, who dislocated his shoulder in the process of scoring, as Saints' left edge was prised open.

Saints scored a wonderfully-inventive try when Jackson Hastings' kick towards a vacant backfield bounced kindly for Sailor to collect and dot down his first of the match underneath the sticks.

Saints smuggled on a loose ball soon after and Sailor's excellent cut-out pass found young winger Murphy who finished expertly in at the left corner – and once Hastings kicked the conversion from touch, Saints had comeback to lead by two.

Jayden Myers had a try chalked off on review by video referee Tom Grant but Wakefield did eventually grab a third try as Sinfield raced through the heart of Saints' defence and finished brilliantly under significant pressure from Sailor to give the hosts a half-time lead.

Lachlan Walmsley had a try disallowed for Wakefield five minutes into the second half due to a knock-on in the build up from Corey Hall, and that moment proved pivotal as Murphy scored a fantastic second of the match in the left corner, diving in one-handed with little to no space on the touchline.

Sailor moved to the wing because of an injury to Murphy and then saved his side, pushing Walmsley into touch as he dived for the line.

The visitors capitalised at the other end through Keeley who reacted first to the loose ball and touched down his first senior try for the club following a mistake by Caius Faatili.

Sailor sealed the win with 11 minutes remaining, pouncing on a missed grab by Sinfield, to dot down and Davies scored Saints' sixth, powering over on the right edge.

A fantastic second half showing from Saints was summed up by Sailor who raced from well inside his own half past a tiring Wakefield defence to complete his hat-trick with an outstanding individual effort.

Davies then scored his second to make it six second-half tries, breaking through multiple missed tackles before diving over.

Victory means Saints still have the chance to avoid missing out on reaching the post-season shake-up for the first time in Super League history.

Wakefield Trinity coach Daryl Powell said:

"There was a lack of effort, almost, at the end, which is unforgivable. It's really disappointing. The second half last week and the whole game today, I just don't think we're in a great place.

"We took a smack on the nose last week and we haven't recovered from that this week. They were desperate and they outplayed us. I don't think our fight was good enough.

"Ultimately, that last 10 minutes was as bad as I've seen from the team since I've been here. It's something we need to fix up pretty quick and turn on its head."

St Helens interim coach Eamon O'Carroll told BBC Radio Merseyside:

"I thought we were incredibly brave. So happy for the players and staff but what's important is we keep our feet firmly on the ground. We have to continue working hard because tonight we got the fruits of our labour.

"I told the lads in the hotel this morning, if we do our job we'll win today, but I think it's important we don't get carried away.

"Tonight, we were willing to go to a place that we've probably not been to yet - it's a good lesson for us."

Wakefield: Rourke; Walmsley, Scott, Hall, Myers; Trueman, Sinfield; Rodwell, Smoothy, McMeeken, Storton, Vagana, Tevaga.

Interchanges: Hamlin-Uele, Faatili, Smith, Lolesio.

St Helens: Welsby; Douglas, Sailor, MacDonald, Murphy; Robertson, Hastings; Suluka-Fifita, Shorrocks, Walmsley, Wright, Davies, Host.

Interchanges: Humphreys, Keeley, Evans, Matagi.

Referee: Aaron Moore.