SAINTS returned to winning ways and to the top of the table with an emphatic nine try win over London.

After three consecutive defeats, including Saturday’s cup exit, this was just the tonic they needed - even though defensively they will frown at the three tries they conceded.

They were always in control against the winless, but spirited Broncos, and moved the ball well with Luke Walsh pulling the strings.

They started well and after five minutes Jon Wilkin’s dab through on the right, Iliess Macani made a dog’s dinner of it allowing the alert Matty Dawson to pick up and touched down.

On 11 minutes they extended that lead when Luke Walsh feigned to pass to the right and dummied and dashed in from 20 metres without a finger being laid on him.

It was one way traffic and Lance Hohaia nearly added to it, but his dash to the line was foiled inches short.

Josh Jones, too, went close, but was unable to release to Makinson to his right and was halted just short.

However, a 40/20 from Walsh put Saints in prime attacking position and from there Luke Thompson flicked the ball out for Jonny Lomax to dive over.

The try of the match then saw Walsh produce a Tommy Martynesque blind pass inside to Lomax, who surged through before spreading it right for Tommy Makinson to cross in the corner.

London posted one back when Denny Solomona went over on the left – and the same player was then led off the field shortly afterwards after crashing into the perimeter fence.

Saints grabbed the first one after the break when Lance Hohaia, restored to the side after being dropped for the cup tie at Leeds, supported another Walsh break to scamper over.

When Dawson sent Adam Swift in at the corner, after a strong midfield break from James Roby, it looked like the floodgates would open.

But London hit back with Thomas Minns showing good pace to catch a high punt and race over.

In a tit for tat Saints responded almost immediately with Joe Greenwood running a good angle to go over and then Lomax sent Jones on a rumbling run to the corner.

Mike Bishay grabbed a consolation score or the visitors, but Saints had the last word when Mark Flanagan went in from dummy half to become the team’s ninth different scorer.

So not Saints’ most impressive performance of the year but it was good in parts and at least they are back on the horse after a demoralising Easter fortnight.

Saints: Lomax; Makinson, Jones, Dawson, Swift; Hohaia, Walsh; Walmsley, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Wilkin, Soliola, Thompson. Subs: Masoe, Flanagan, Greenwood, Forster.

London: Farrar; Macani, Solomona, Caton-Brown, Minns; Drinkwater, Bishay; Krasniqi, Cunningham, Greenwood, Cook, Vea, Foster. Subs: Atkins, McKeenen, Slyney, Wallace.