SAINTS boss Keiron Cunningham saw improvement despite their fourth loss and defiantly declared that “the season is not over”.

After the woeful offerings of the previous week Saints needed a response, and although there was no shortage of effort it was not good enough to stop them sliding to a fourth loss and back-to-back defeats at Langtree Park.

Cunningham said: "It is a results based industry and we want results and need to pick some points up but I thought the response was pretty good from last week.

"The effort across the board from all the players was really good and if anything there was a little too much effort and trying to force things. Too much anxiety when defending and giving away penalties.

“It was good that we got a response. Huddersfield are a great side and it was a typical game between the two sides, it went down to the death again, we had chances to win it and so did they. They just took their chances a little better.

“It was a lot better than the Hull game but it couldn’t have been any worse.”

Unlike last week Cunningham did not single out any of the key areas where things went wrong, instead focused on some of the positives in defeat.

"I thought we got into some form of rhythm at times; when Jordan Turner came on he looked good in the middle part of the field and there was some really good efforts out there.

“Mark Percival was brillilliant, as was Andre Savelio and big Al. In fact, you could do through the side and pick out good performances.

“Percy came up with a couple of clangers defensively but he was brilliant again.

“Tommy was a little bit rusty having not played for 10 weeks, but he will just get better and better but it is good to get that combination going again.”

It will be viewed as another two points gone begging, which now means they have to match the results of Castleford or Huddersfield to make the knockout phase.

Cunningham added: "We played anxious which is understandable because we have gone through a few games getting beaten at an important time of the season but I am happy with the response. We can have a good week off working hard, come back and play against Leeds.

"We have a lot of people who have played a lot of rugby – all those middles have played a lot and its hard to spell them when the squad isn't as thick so the break will do them good.

“At this point in time they have to stay together and stay focused and work hard as a group and if we do that we will come through it.

"The season isn't over. Everyone is saying that we have capitulated but the season is a long way from over. We have to make the top four and we will have a good crack at that."