SAINTS survived a monumental scare at Wakefield to cling on to their winning start to the Super League season.

They trailed 12-6 at half time and played the second half with minimal interchange capacity and major disruption having lost Jonny Lomax, Mark Percival and Luke Thompson.

Ultimately the game went down to the last play with the defence just holding on to Ali Lauitiiti as the hooter sounded.

Saints started well enough, tackling resolutely before taking the lead in the ninth minute.

After a fine burst from Lomax, who inter-passed smartly with Mark Flanagan before being hauled down, Wellens stretched over for his first try of the year.

Saints bombed a certain score when Makinson failed to see three men outside him when surging up the middle from broken play – and that went begging.

Adam Swift then crossed in the corner but was pulled back for a forward pass.

A long kick was not fielded cleanly by Swift, forcing a drop out.

And after a penalty from the next play former Saint Matty Ashurst sneaked over.

Saints lost Lomax and had to shuffle the back line, and then Luke Thompson was led off with a head knock after getting on the wrong end of Mose Masoe’s tackle.

Masoe looked like he had set up another score, but it is one of those nights with Joe Greenwood dropping it.

An interception gave Lauitiiti a run downfield from which Saints never regrouped. A penalty from Jon Wilkin intensified the pressure and straightforward handling saw Reece Lyne cross.

Hall converted to make it 12-6 at the break.

Wakefield looked as though they had drawn first blood in the second half when Chris Riley went in at the corner, only for the ref to call it back for a forward pass.

It was Saints who then countered, with makeshift centre Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook speeding 50 metres on a weaving run before finally being halted.

The ball was teed up for the impressive Greenwood to drive in from close range.

A Makinson penalty nudged Saints back ahead.

Saints stretched the lead when a high bomb from Wilkin was fumbled by full back Craig Hall allowing Jordan Turner to collect and ground it.

Makinson tagged on the goal and that spurred Saints on for the next ten minutes with some pretty aggressive defence.

But a dash up the wing from Dean Collis and kick through was raced on to by Richard Owen and Trinity were back in iit at 20-16 with ten minutes to play.

Saints hung on, but when Wilkin drilled the ball into touch in goal it gave Wakefield one last tilt.

But Saints hung to win – at some considerable cost.