Flat Saints fall to disappointing defeat

They started poorly and nearly fell behind to the first of Kevin Penny's four disallowed tries but the vide ref spotted a push on Tommy Makinson.

And although they scored first through Joe Greenwood Warrington soon hit the front to take a lead they would never relinquish.

It was definitely a case of after the Lord Mayor's Show as Saints seemed to lack the same enthusiasm as a care-free Wolves team who can start their end of season celebrations tonight.

It was apparent that this game was a victim of positioning between the big derby and semi final - and it suffered as a consequence.

Maybe the combination of the emotional and physical exertions of digging out that win over Wigan six days ago, combined with the dawning that they will have to do it all again next Thursday or Friday led to the flatness.

The fans soon detected it too.

Barring the notable exceptions of Mark Percival, James Roby, Andre Savelio and Jon Wilkin, Saints' display lacked the will and want coach Keiron Cunningham talked about last week.

Wilkin tried to gee up his troops, led from the front in mixing it with Wire big men Ashton Sims and Ben Westwood and showing the cultured left boot.   

Wolves picked out some weaknesses on the Saints left edge with Jack Johnson crossing for the first, taking the inside ball to race in unopposed.

Daryl Clark was foiled by a ball and all tackle from Kyle Amor who forced last year's Man of Steel to spill it short of the line.

Jordan Turner looked as though he had engineered a try for himself when he headed for the corner only for Kevin Penny to foil him on the line.

Two quick penalties and Wolves were back on the attack, and they again had the numbers when the ball was transfereed to Joel Monaghan who crossed in the corner.

Worse was to follow, with Chris Sandow breaking and kicking ahead for Richie Myler only for Adam Swift to rescue it.

Alas it was in vain, and one of out of sorts Atelea Vea's four lost balls gave Warrington the position for Chris Hill to stride through some weak tackling from Louie mcCarthy-Scarsbrook to make it a 14-6 lead at the break.

A Ryan Atkins try pushed it to 20-6 on 49 minutesand Saints were not in the game.

It took a crafty piece of play from Wilkin, who kicked it left for Swift to chase..

The Saints wing picked up and nipped in at the corner for a try that took some scoring.

It gave Saints some hope and that was cranked up further when Mark Flanagan forcd his way over on the right on 57 minutes.

The game was back in the melting pot,  trailing 20-14, and that is how it stayed with Roy Asotasi foiling Adam Quinlan on the line approaching the last five minutes.

It was Saints' last chance to get something and Asotasi was on hand to drive over from Westwood's offload to go over.

And a late Kevin Penny interception, after having four tries disallowed by the video referee for pushes, a knock on and offside, wrapped the game up.

Overall a dispaoointing night for Saints, with the only blessing being they appear to have come through physically unscathed.

But they will have to switch it back on next week if they are to make a decent fist of defending their title.

Saints: Quinlan; Makinson, Percival, Jones, Swift; Turner, Walsh; Amor, Roby, Savelio, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Greenwood, Wilkin. Subs: Masoe, Vea, Flanagan, Richards.

Warrington: Johnson; Penny, Ratchford, Atkins, Monaghan; Myler, Sandow; Hill, Clark, Sims, Westwood, Currie, King. Subs: Harrison, Asotasi, Dwyer, Philbin.