SAINTS boss Keiron Cunningham was determined to see his side put an end to their two-game losing run at Langtree Park when he spoke to the Star’s Mike Critchley.

MC: Is your view of the Leeds loss still the same as it was post-match?

KC: Yes, I have watched the game three or four times since and and after cutting all the video, I still think we attacked really well but Leeds get so much luck it was ridiculous.

In the second set of the game we went from yardage set, to penalty, to attacking set, to should score. Instead they get a spawny intercept, it was like the kid (Handley) had glue on his fingers and he went full length.

Then the cumulative effect of three dropped balls when we were building pressure – Wilko, Flash and Swifty all put balls down – burst our bubble but we were still in the game.

The last try of the first half hurt us because, had we gone in one try less, it may have been different. But when Burnsy shoots it across for Swifty and Tommy touches it, it sat up perfectly for Kallum Watkins.

Before that poor Tommo did not know the rules, he thought he was offside when he wasn’t (and didn’t make the tackle on Ablett) but big games are won and lost on those minor things. There were four or five things which hurt us in the first half and gave us a lot to do.

At the break I told them that I still believed we could win because there was still points in the game. We came out fighting and that was the pleasing thing for me. We had a good go at it.

MC: Where were the key problems?

KC: There were a few little areas around the ruck which we tidied up in the second half, the detail was not quite there when normally it is brilliant.

It was unfortunate but we will have another good go at Leeds.

It was not a game where Leeds were containing us, we were rolling out of 60 metre kicks all of the time, and rolling over half way with our yardage sets. It sounds crazy for me to say it but if you took away the scoreline and showed someone the game you would have seen us dominant for long periods, but I am a little bit biased obviously.

I thought we deserved more, but Leeds are ruthless and whenever they make a break they generally score.

It is unfortunate, after we put in a really good shift to grind out a win at Huddersfield – beating them off back of a tough Easter weekend – I just thought the players deserved more out of that game for their confidence.

A decision here and a try there and we are on the back of different results but we have lost four out of five – luckily we went six straight at the start and that puts us in a a strong position. There are plenty more balls to be kicked this season.

MC: That second half you hammered Leeds back with defence and then with two tries it was game back on?

KC: With 18 minutes left we trailed by two scores and there was a big call where Mose gave a penalty away and that was a game changer. They scored off the back of the penalty and then it is really tough to come back.

The pleasing thing for me is that we did not put the cue on the rack and kept fighting. If we can put the defensive game from Huddersfield with the attacking game of Leeds then we’ll be in for a good weekend.

MC: Luke Walsh will give you something extra at seven — an ability to make breaks and take on the line — elements of play the team has missed.

KC: Wilko is not a half back and people forget that when they start bagging him, saying ‘he is not this’ and ‘not that’. He is a second row who is playing there at 7. You have to remember he is putting himself out and doing a great job.

Realistically I have known players in the past who have been asked to play out of position and they have said ‘No, I’m not doing it’.

We have got to thank Wilko for the job he has been doing. Some games he has been super, others he has been a bit scratchy but he has tried his best. If you don’t play him, then who do you play there?

MC: One silver lining from Friday’s dark cloud was Matty Fleming. He was tested – but came through it well.

KC: He was immense. I am a big believer in the youth system and bringing them through – Joe Greenwood got his chance and stayed there. I gave young Ricky Bailey a chance against Hull – and he was not quite ready. Credit to the kid, he has gone back and has been super for the 19s.

Matty was the next cab off the rank – if we needed one – and he has taken it with both hands. You would never see Matty Flemings if you don’t get injuries or other crises. I would never have got a start, neither would James Roby or James Graham.

There is a sort of silver lining to every dark cloud of injury – bringing in a hidden gem. There are a few more there if we do get more injuries – and they will get blooded to see how they fare. We have got a good youth system here – and long after I go they will still be coming through.

Matty did a super job and I was pleased for the kid. He has so much potential – he went on the academy tour to Australia and was hands down the best player on the tour.

There was a lot of expectation on him, but that was unfulfilled – last year was a bit scratchy. He is top age 19s now and there were points were the coach had to drop him because his form was not good, but the last month he was outstanding.

He is a good kid, with potential for the future and that gives me another outside back which means I can rely on him to play wing rather than swapping and changing everything else. We are not very full in that department, especially with losing Matty Dawson for seven to eight weeks.

MC: Saints have had two consecutive home losses – how much does that sting the lads, walking around Langtree Park beaten at the end of the game?

KC: It stings me – it really does. I am a St Helens boy and a fan at heart and I know what it means to the spectators. It hurts the players too. The first thing I said to them on Monday morning was, after everything, you owe yourselves and the fans a performance against Widnes. And I don’t mean a 40-minute performance – an 80-minute one.

We made Langtree Park a bit of a cauldron, but to lose back-to-back home games is not something we want to keep doing. We can never get those losses back, but what we can do is change what happens in the future and that will have a bearing on Friday night.

MC: It will be great to have Mark Percival back. When you have Travis Burns and now Luke Walsh pinging out great wide passes, you do need players on the end who are going to cash in – Percy is one who will?

KC: You would imagine from the first pass that got intercepted on Friday Percy would have scored. No disrespect to Josh Jones – but Percy just blasts on to the ball and scores tries from those passes. When I looked at the replay I thought 'that has got Mark Percival try written all over it' and that is what he gives you.

And in the distant future – we bring Joe Greenwood and Tils back and stay reasonably injury-free then we are in good shape again.