SAINTS overcame a strong first half challenge from neighbours Widnes before finally coming out on top in emphatic style.

And after last week’s Leeds disappointment had cast a long shadow, there was plenty to warm the cockles of the crowd – not least the sparkling displays of full back Tommy Makinson and the flashes of pure class from the fit again centre Mark Percival.

Initially there was a degree of anxiety about Saints’ attack – no doubt a product of losing their previous two home games, combined with the defensive resolve of the Vikings and the fact key players in were slowly slotting back into the grove after lengthy injury absences.

And those jitters were added to when Saints committed the cardinal sin of buying a dummy from Vikings skipper Kevin Brown to fall behind on 25 minutes.

Saints struck back three minutes later when Luke Walsh snaffled a 40 metre interception try and then not long afterwards the Australian linchpin, starting his first game since July, teed up the ball for his compatriot Travis Burns to storm over the line.

However, Vikings – with Brown calling the shots with the full range of deft short passes, long balls and varied kicking game – stayed in the game and posted an equalising try just before the break.

Interchange hooker Aaron Heremaia found a chink in the Saints midfield armour and he zipped through before finding Joe Mellor in support on the inside with the Vikings number seven doing the rest.

There was more threat from Saints’ attack in the second half and an early sign of that came from two Walsh kicks – first a grubber and then a high bomb – caused problems.

Walsh’s short pass sent Alex Walmsley on a driving run over the whitewash, with Burns slotting his third goal.

But back again came Vikings and Brown’s exquisite pass sent promising teenage back row Matt Whitley on a surging run to the line, only to be foiled by a wonderful Makinson tackle.

Saints looked as though they had grabbed another score on the hour mark when Jordan Turner surged over on the left only for the officials to harshly flag up a knock on.

And to rub Saints’ nose in it Widnes went up the other end with Brown sending Whitley on a storming run – with no stopping him this time.

Jack Owens missed the touchline conversion and that was as close as Widnes got.

The last quarter saw Saints get a complete stranglehold on the game with Makinson’s break setting up the position for the game-breaking score.

After dashing through the middle the ball was fanned right where Percival’s fine pass sent Matty Fleming dashing in at the corner.

With Vikings showing signs of fatigue from their monumental first half tackling stint Saints began to exploit the extra space.

Makinson capped a fine all round game and effectively wrapped it up when he returned a kick with interest, racing the length of the field to score under the posts to delight the crowd.

And two minutes before the end Saints gave the score an even more lop-sided look when Percival dashed over following a Vikings error.

It put the icing on the cake on what was an hard-fought derby game that helps keep the pressure on the leaders Leeds.