SAINTS will need to carry on where they left off last time out when they travel to face this year’s surprise package Wakefield Trinity at Belle Vue on Sunday.

With four games of the regular season to go before the division splits into Super 8s, Saints need to keep on the coat tails of the leading pack if they are to genuinely make the season interesting.

They are six points behind Catalans and Warrington which given Saints’ inferior points difference essentially means that they have to win four more games than one of their nearest rivals in the remaining 11 matches.

Cunningham said: “Our job is to keep on the heels of the top four.

"Catalans and Warrington are six points above us, if we keep within touching distance the dream is definitely alive because everyone plays each other.

"Warrington are still in the cup, too, so we need to keep on winning and picking up points. In the Super 8s everyone plays everyone and you don’t know what will happen.

“We need to keep on building.”

That means there is little room for slip ups now against a Trinity side that is just behind Saints on the table and is bouncing on the back of reaching the Challenge Cup semi-final.

Saints boss Keiron Cunningham said: “We are better for the week off but the way we played in the last 50 minutes against Hull KR it would have been nice to roll into another side the week after — but you take the week off when they are given.

“It is certainly not an ideal situation, seeing other teams progress, but it gives us added motivation.

“The players have had a short break and we have trained the boys hard but we have had periods of rest in between and some off-field conditioning. We also have a long turnaround to get them in good shape for Sunday.”

Wakefield remained in the top flight after winning the £1m match against Bradford last year but were tipped to be involved in the relegation dogfight again this year, particularly when veteran Australian coach Brian Smith departed.

But Chris Chester has got them playing some good football - with Liam Finn’s kicking game and stand off Jacob Miller’s craft creating plenty for two of the competition’s most exciting bolters in Tom Johnstone and Max Jowitt.

Cunningham agreed that there has been something of a transformation under the auspices of the former Hull KR boss.

“Wakefield are a great attacking side and Chris Chester has done a good job. There is a feel good factor about the place and the players are going really well for them,” Cunningham said.

“It is always a tough game when we go there.

“That came through at the weekend in the way they progressed to the semi-finals.

“Jacob Miller is playing really good. The expectation was really high on him at Hull for a young kid and he is turning into a good player, he is continuing to mature and I’m sure lots of NRL clubs are watching what he doing.

“They have two great backs in Tom Johnstone on the wing and Max Jowitt at full back.

"Wakefield have a good production line always seem to have a knack of producing really good outside backs. It will be tough but it always is up there.”

“I like the environment there and how intimidating it is. A couple of the lads who played at Knowsley Road enjoy playing at Castleford and Wakefield, where the crowd is on top of you and has a connection with the fans.”

On the injury front scrum half Luke Walsh had not been ruled out at the time of going to press.

But Cunningham added that he would have no qualms about running with Jon Wilkin and Jordan Turner should the Australian not be fit in time.

“The two halves in the last game did a good job for us, if Luke is not fit I would be happy running with those two,” he said.