SAINTS boss Keiron Cunningham praised Saints' sparkling backline when he spoke with the Star's Mike Critchley.

MC: I’ll be honest – I was worried at 55 minutes.

KC: I don’t want to be disrespectful to Widnes in anyway, they really came here and put us to the sword.

They came to play and my players got caught on their heels a little bit and probably didn’t give Widnes the respect they deserved.

There were points in that game where we led 18-6 and we were one good defensive set off ending the game in the first half.

But one poor defensive effort allowed them back in at half time and makes it a different second half. Defensively we only started playing once we got behind on the scoreboard…and then it was a different Saints side.

MC: Did the occasion of the cup, Wello’s guard of honour or anything contribute to the off key start?

KC: The boys had trained really well all week, if anything a few seemed over-nervous with the occasion.

You have got to remember the Challenge Cup quarter final is uncharted ground for a lot of these players, even though we won the Grand Final last year.

Widnes played the occasion – and the referee a lot better than we did. Everything was slow and Widnes mugged us in the ruck and we did not respond quickly enough.

We have got the luxury of saying we didn’t play well for 55 minutes but we kicked on and did a job at the back end. That’s the pleasing thing for me. Even though they didn’t defend great, they scored some lovely tries and our attack was very good. We sent a message with 25 to go about Walsh, Burns and Wilko bringing the team home and they really did. Kicking long on play three and chasing hard – and that is how you win the big games.

If we start at Leeds how we finished on Sunday, then we should be in a good spot.

MC: The way Mark Percival, Jordan Turner and Adam Swift combined for some of those tries was exceptional.

KC: Percy has not played full back since he was seven, he is just a natural footballer with good awareness for the game and space.

He’s always a play ahead with his his thinking.

Speak to him off the field and you wouldn’t think so, but put a pair of boots on him and he’s one of the smartest players I have ever seen.

MC: Last week Adam Swift was led away from Castleford by ambulance, next time we see him he’s running in 80 metre tries.

KC: That was precaution, there was concern that he may have done damage. He came through the other side, once he ticked those boxes we knew he’d be ok.

MC: There has been a huge improvement in Adam Swift in terms of the consistency of his performances.

KC: He has been brilliant. Jamahl Lolesi has put a lot of time and effort into the outside backs.

Sometimes learning is really ugly, and I say it to junior players almost to the point of it being hurtful. But you come through the other side a better player. What you see with more mature players is consistency and that is learned behaviour.

Look how good Tommy Makinson has been – last year he was up and down like a rollercoaster, this year he's been form winger in the comp.

It is the same with Swifty, the back five have been brilliant for us this year. At the start of year they had a lull, but they have come through it and been fantastic ever since.