KEIRON Cunningham’s words of wisdom at half time did the trick as St Helens overhauled Catalans Dragons 39-16, writes Mike Parsons.

After Adam Swift’s third of fourth tries on the stroke of half time gave Saints a slender lead, the home team took control in the third quarter.

“I was expecting some sort of lull after our two big away games in the last couple of weeks, and I thought in the first half we tried to probably overplay a little bit,” said the Saints head coach.

“Or, we tried to play when we didn’t deserve or hadn’t earned the right to play.

“It definitely does help going in with a score just before half time and probably had we kept hold of the ball a little bit more than we did in the first half we would have gone in a little bit more comfortable I believe.

“We had a good chat at half time. It was very similar to the Warrington game in all fairness. We weren’t that great in the first half and went in with a lead.

“I thought we really came out in the second half and put them to the sword.

“We completed really high. It was one of our best second-half completions - around 96 per cent and that’s massive for us.

“And that’s the result you get off the back of that. We kept putting them in bad spots and they did lose a few bodies, as we did, but I thought the best side deserved the game.”

Cunningham had a little joke about Swift scoring four tries, before giving full praise to the 23-year-old winger.

“That’s what he gets paid for, scoring tries,” he said with a smile.

“He was great. I thought all the back three, with Jonny Lomax at the back and Jack Owens on the other wing, they were phenomenal.

“Swifty’s a great player and he works tirelessly every single week on his performance.

“He’s still developing and still learning and you’ve probably not seen the best of him yet. I think there’s more to come.”

Such is the feelgood factor at Langtree Park after seven successive wins, the camp is already thinking about the next challenge to come against Wigan next Friday.

“The players are hungry to go again and that’s what momentum does for you,” he said.

“It makes you enjoy what you’re doing, picking up your results and coming to work every day is a pleasure. We are riding the crest of a wave at the minute and long may it happen.”

It was pointed out to Cunningham that Saints are now only two points adrift of second spot.

He said: “We can’t fall in love with any of that.

“We’ve got a big derby game we can look ahead to now and that’s as far as we can look.

“There’s lots of points going to be won and lost along the way.

“Momentum is a big thing and the players are in a really good space and I think they deserve that.

“I think the tough times this year have really forged us as a group, brought us through the other side and we’re probably getting what we deserve now I believe.”