SAINTS’ magnificent performance at Magic made it five wins on the spin and saw them climb into the top six.

The manner of the victory, with the spine of Lewis Dodd, Jonny Lomax and Jack Welsby clicking for the first time this season, will have put plenty of smiles on the faces of all involved with the club after a tough start to the season.

The silky skills of the triumvirate of playmakers in providing Tommy Makinson with four walk-ins topped off with the one-handed finishes provided the enduring images of the weekend.

But a key to victory was the platform laid by the tough stuff in the middle both in terms of defence and the ruck speed Saints generated to furnish the brains trust with a platform to play off.

So that will have been an easy game to review and move on to this week’s derby with Wigan.

However, having already got ahead of themselves after beating Warrington in April, only to get knocked back down a peg or two the week after, Saints will have learned some lessons.

But they can afford themselves a little bit of a bounce going in Friday’s derby.

After guarding against complacency or falling in love with themselves too much, the biggest headache on coach Paul Wellens’ agenda will be one of selection.

International loose forward Morgan Knowles returns after playing just one game since his ban for a hip drop against Wigan on Good Friday, with his sending off at Halifax earning him another ban.

Wellens said: “Part and parcel of Morgan’s punishment was missing a game like that – sitting there watching and knowing that you would rather be out there.

“He will have been disappointed, but he’s a team player and he will have been delighted for the lads in terms of the result that we got.

“The last couple of months have been a learning curve for him, but obviously we get him back at the weekend.

“The qualities of Morgan Knowles have been clear to see for some years now, so we’re delighted to have him back.”

Which player drops out of the 17 to accommodate Knowles, after such an emphatic team display, will be the tough conversation Wellens will have to have this week.

“It is a really difficult decision. I have spoken to the team in recent weeks when players haven’t played - whether that is Jon Bennison, or Will Hopoate, who I took a decision to rest to get his body back because he had been playing busted.

“But nonetheless you are sitting down with players who are really playing well and putting their hands up for the team - having to explain why they are not in the team this week is difficult to do at times, particularly with players who are all holding up to our standards.

“But the positive side of it is that there’s also an accountability for the players who do get an opportunity to go out and perform.”

Without getting carried away, Wellens and his team will take re-assurance and confidence from Magic - something that will have been dented since they returned from Australia as World Club Champions.

One swallow does not make a summer, but Saints look to be back on track - something that will send out a warning to those who had been imagining their team name being etched into the title for a change.

“I think you saw the way the players had smiles on their faces that they enjoyed the game and enjoyed finally clicking a little bit, particularly in attack.

“We have spoken to the players around not getting carried away with just one performance and building some consistency.

“What I really liked about the weekend was our points came off the back of a lot of hard work defensively and we had to earn the right to those opportunities.

“That was the most pleasing aspect - and that is a formula that has worked for us in the past,” Wellens said.