SAINTS coach Paul Wellens had mixed thoughts about his sides 12-4 win over Leigh Leopards.

A try in each half was enough to secure the spoils in a game which saw make it three from three at the top of Super League.

But after a clinical, controlled display at Huddersfield last week Wellens thought his side tried to put the cart before the horse this week and that set the tone for a tough encounter.

Wellens said: “I thought we were gutsy in periods, but it was a game that I didn't feel really got going.

“It was a bit scrappy at times and the conditions didn't help that.

“So there's a lot to like about the way we defended, in particular, and the way we have started the season.

“But I didn’t like the way we started the game, and I say that because the last 10 minutes at Huddersfield last week we started to get a bit of joy off the back of the hard work that we've done for the 60 to 65 minutes/ “Then we started tonight like we wanted the way we played the last 10 minutes of Huddersfield to come straight away.

“It's probably a lesson that we need to learn moving forward is that you've got to show teams the utmost respect by playing the game in a tough way, by being patient and waiting for opportunities.

“Whenever we did that, we looked threatening, but we didn't start the game in that mindset.”

Even though Leigh were depleted by two sin-binnings and then injuries to John Asiata and Tom Briscoe, they continued to challenge until the end.

“Given the game it was I think they threw a bit more at us and they challenged us on the edges a lot and we had to scramble really hard and I thought we did that well for large parts Koni and Tommy on the right edge had a fair bit of traffic come their way.

“They dealt with it well, and you're going be challenged.

“It's always going be tough defending on an edge in this competition because you have got good players coming your way and you have got to rise to that challenge.

“I thought we did that really well in the main.”

Wellens was asked what he thought of the John Asiata tackle on Sione Mata’utia that saw the Leigh skipper sent to the sin bin.

“I was a little bit surprised if I'm honest, but at the same time, I was told last year that those tackles weren't illegal, which I had to accept.

“Now we know that they are illegal and a decision was made and I don't really want to say too much more than that in the way I wouldn't speak more about it if it was a high tackle or a cannonball tackle or ninja or whatever they talk about.

“It's an illegal tackle in the game and the decision was made and my perspective and our team’s perspective is we just move on.”