SAINTS enter the last leg of their three games in eight-days period on Friday determined to “win the energy battle” against a Hull side that are buzzing from a Easter double.

It is a game that has a lot riding on it - not least the first the leg of the Steve Prescott Cup – but also with it being a genuine top four battle.

After a jittery start to the year, the Black and Whites have recovered and have climbed into fourth spot courtesy of a cracking Easter which saw them come from 20-0 down to beat city rivals Hull KR and then back it up by being the first side to conquer Warrington.

Saints, who had a patchy Easter after bouncing back at Widnes following a Good Friday defeat by Wigan, need a strong home performance.

Not only do they need the league points, given the strong clustering of teams below third spot, the team needs to post a statement that it is turning the corner in time for consecutive massive matches against top end rivals with the Hull game followed by Warrington, Catalans and Leeds.

Cunningham said: “Hull come off the back of Easter with two great victories.

“They came back and win at Hull KR and it seemed like a real tussle against Warrington as well.

“They are a side that potentially can do really well this year.

“We know about all of their threats and all their dangers, but it is a bit of a different game – game three of the Easter week is always the toughest one.

“It is definitely going to be about the energy battle and whoever wins that on Friday night is going to come away with the spoils.”

Saints played Hull at home on Easter Monday last year and produced a tired performance that was punished by a late defeat.

The Saints boss has warned against a repetition, feeling that that particular loss had consequences at the end of the year as it stopped them from having a tilt for top spot, meaning they had an away semi at the eventual champions Leeds.

“This time last year we didn’t play too great against Hull at home and that really hurt us in the back end of the year. Every point is really valuable, especially in this competition now that it is so upside down,” Cunningham said.

After losing badly at a poor Leeds side and then backing up with a toothless display at home to Wigan on Good Friday, Saints desperately needed to bounce back at Widnes or the alarm bells would have begun to sound even more loudly.

That Saints pulled it back, with a dominant display over an admittedly depleted Vikings side, will have given them time to settle down.

It has helped that the new half back combination appears to be bearing fruit, with French international captain Theo Fages showing some nice touches.