SAINTS boss Keiron Cunningham was proud of the way his injury-ravaged team dug deep to see off Wakefield's challenge to maintain a 100 per cent record after four rounds of the Super League.

In the space of an horrendous six minutes they lost full-back Jonny Lomax with a leg injury and then saw centre Mark Percival twist his knee awkwardly in the tackle and was led off.

Luke Thompson had not been on long when he caught the effects of Mose Masoe's tackle and left the field with concussion.

Cunningham said: "We had a lot of adversity.

"You can't really practise what we did out there today.

"You have just got to have faith in your team. Today just shows what they are made of. I had one sub in Lance (Hohaia and I had to save him up for as long as I could.

"I'm proud of the way they hung in and how worked for each other.

"I've been involved as a player in wins through adversity and those are the ones you remember.

"I spoke to the players at half-time where these two points could take us and where you'd be later in the season when you look back and where you finish. These two points could be the ones that get you there. It's a massive victory for us."

With only one fit body to rotate it meant the pack had to toil for longer minutes than normal.

"My middles were just phenomenal. I thought Alex Walmsley was sensational and Atilea Vea is a superstar in the making," said Cunningham.

He had praise, too, for former captain Paul Wellens for his first senior match since October's Grand Final .

With Travis Burns banned for a game, Wellens slotted into the halves, and set the ball rolling with the opening try -199th touchdown in Super League to bring him level with Keith Senior in the chart, with only Leeds half-back Danny McGuire ahead of him.

"Wello is a true warrior of the game, one of greatest players to have ever put on a Saints shirt," Cunningham said.

"Let's not forget he hadn't played since October but he goes and out there and battles. He's a great role model for the young players."