SAINTS boss Paul Wellens paid tribute to 80-minute prop Matty Lees his side edged a tough win at Huddersfield Giants.

After losing Sione Mata'utia with a head injury from the first set of the game, Saints had to use their interchanges differently.

But Lees made that job easier for the coach by producing a machine-like performance - probably not seen in a Saints shirt since Luke Thompson's 2019 Grand Final display.

In those bruising 80 minutes, Lees produced 68 tackles to keep the Giants at bay.

Wellens said: "I never came in tonight thinking a middle player will have to do that but the longer the game went on I never saw signs of Matty slowing down.

"When I think about the history of Super League and players like James Graham and Stuart Fielden who used to be able to do that, Matty's performance is as iconic as some of those."

It was a tough challenge for Saints - and they had to soak up so much Huddersfield pressure in the opening 25 before turning the game on its head with two tries in three minutes on the right edge from Konrad Hurrell and Tommy Makinson crashed over.

A soft try from Ashton Golding from dummy half gave the Giants a toe-hold in the game and it then continued to to and fro.

Makinson's penalty gave Saints a cushion, but a try given to Innes Senior despite the best efforts of Jack Welsby to stop him ensured that the game would go down to the wire.

"It was extremely tough but we spoke all week about it and we didn't expect anything different," added Wellens.

"To hang in there the way we did is a true test of character.

"When you lose Sione in the first minute, what you need in those situations is the team and individuals to put their hands up and play tough, and to a man we did that tonight and it was a really valuable two points."