Saints extend their lead with an emphatic win over Leeds Rhinos

The victory stretches their winning streak against the Rhinos to a remarkable 11 games – and there was never any danger of that streak ending tonight.

Leeds showed some resistance at first – with their varied kicking game asking a few questions in the first half.

But Saints always had the answers and the game ended up a rout with the visitors finishing with 11 men following Zane Tetevano red-card, and then James Bentley’s yellow.

There is clearly no love lost between these two sides, but Saints held all the aces across the park, from the middles to the edges.

It started well for Saints and after some good early pressure, they earned a penalty from a Jack Welsby dink over.

Shortly afterwards, Saints whipped the ball right for Konrad Hurrell to go over for the scripted try against his former team.

Although Leeds players claimed a double movement there was no sign of that when the video played it back, awarding the try.

Tommy Makinson stroked the touchline conversion between the uprights and Saints had a 6-0 lead.

Saints extended that lead when they kept ball alive on the right where Hurrell and Tommy Makinson instinctively interacted – and the ball was scooped up by Jon Bennison.

Then another piece of great play yielded a try with Morgan Knowles juggling before looping the off for the charging Alex Walmsley to cross.

Makinson’s goal made it 12-0.

On 23 minutes Leeds hit back when a ball was kept alive on the touchline from a kick wide with fleet-footed Harry Newman cashing in with the try.

After Leeds had been denied a try with a bounced ball, despite it going upstairs with the thumbs up, Saints hit back immediately.

Wing Regan Grace somehow managed to force his way over and after multiple views a try was given.

The conversion was missed, but Saints had a 16-6 lead that they took into the interval.

Saints made a statement immediately after the restart, keeping the ball alive before spreading it right. There was a scoop up off the floor from Makinson before Hurrell blasted past two tacklers for his second of the evening.

Makinson missed the conversion, but Saints led 20-6.

Somewhat against the run of play on 54 minutes Leeds second row Bodene Thompson crossed after an inventive Blake Austin kick was tapped back.

Rhyse Martin’s goal made 20-12 to potentially put the game back in the melting pot.

But Saints were having none of that.

After a Leeds spilled ball gave Saints the opportunity to press prop Agnatius Paasi crashed ball under the sticks.

Makinson’s goal made it 26-12 and Saints were home and hosed.

There was still time to put the icing on the cake and that was made easier with Leeds’ ill-discipline.

A 63rd-minute yellow card from Thompson gave Saints a numerical advantage they exploited.

Four minutes later new England cap Joe Batchelor took Jonny Lomax’s pass to steam down the right, with Makinson’s goal making it 32-12.

Saints finished with a flourish as a couple of Leeds usual suspects let their discipline slip.

Sub Dan Norman powered on to a Welsby pass for a try that he took great satisfaction from.

Then there some fireworks when Hurrell was taken late and high by Tetevano after a kick and he was given his marching orders.

Not to be outdone ex-Saint Bentley was yellow carded when he stopped Walmsley taking a tap.

He had not even reached the dressing rooms before a fired-up Walmsley powered over for a try. After multiple views the try was given.

That put the icing on the cake of an emphatic Saints victory that sees them looking down on the rest even more loftily.

Saints: Bennison; Makinson, Hurrell, Davies, Grace; Welsby, Lomax; Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Sironen, Batchelor, Knowles. Subs: Lussick, Paasi, Wingfield, Norman.

Leeds Rhinos: Hardaker; Fusitu’a, Newman, Martin, Handley; Austin, Sezer; Oledzki, Leeming, Prior, Bentley, Thompson, Donaldson. Subs; Tetevano, Walters, Myler, O’Connor.

Att: 11,628.

Pics: Bernard Platt.