Halifax Panthers 6 St Helens 26: Fax do Championship proud as Morgan Knowles loses head

Saints were the opponents when Fax last won the cup in 1987 after ripping up the script and stunning the favourites.

While St Helens have lifted the famous old trophy eight times since that Wembley thriller on their way to establishing themselves as the most dominant club of the summer era, Halifax – now dubbed the Panthers – dropped out of Super League 20 years ago and are still trying to find their way back.

A win at The Shay on Friday night would have eclipsed the giantkilling of 36 years ago but Saints were never in danger of falling at the first hurdle.

Although Paul Wellens' men have failed to convince since becoming the best club side in the world in February, the four-time defending Super League champions are still the team to beat in both competitions.

Simon Grix's part-timers – fourth in the league after 11 rounds – did the Championship proud with a performance that would not look out of place in the top tier.

Certainly, they pushed the all-conquering Saints closer than some Super League teams in recent times.

Wellens fielded 12 of the side that stunned Penrith Panthers in the World Club Challenge and was rewarded with a professional, if not completely convincing, performance.

Joey Lussick opened the scoring after eight minutes and went over for St Helens' fifth try late on.

With their place in Sunday's quarter-final draw long since assured, Morgan Knowles was sent off for a shocking high tackle in the dying seconds to leave the England loose forward facing another lengthy ban, starting against Leeds Rhinos next week.

Halifax's cause was not helped by the loss of chief playmaker Joe Keyes to a torn pectoral inside the opening 10 minutes but they never threw in the towel and scored a deserved late try through Jacob Fairbank.

Before this last-16 tie, the clubs had met only once since Fax's relegation – at the semi-final stage in 2019.

Grix's men produced a valiant effort that afternoon and fought until the end in front of the Viaplay cameras on Friday.

It was an inauspicious start for the home side after seeing full-back James Woodburn-Hall claim Lewis Dodd's high kick close to his own line only to be dragged into touch.

James Bell was held up by determined defence but Fax were powerless to stop a typical Lussick close-range effort two plays later.

The Panthers dug deep to drag down a rampaging Sione Mata'utia just short of the line and had the chance to send some traffic back Saints' way following a late hit by Knowles on Louis Jouffret.

After getting a first play the ball inside the St Helens half 16 minutes in, Tom Inman – Keyes' replacement in the halves – tested the visiting defence with a neat kick before the Championship's top tryscorer Lachlan Walmsley threatened to break clear down the left flank.

Namesake Alex Walmsley, as ever, was proving difficult to contain and helped Saints take a stranglehold on the tie.

Jake Wingfield scored the second try with the Fax defence still reeling from two strong carries by the towering prop and St Helens were celebrating again a couple of minutes later.

A one-two between Knowles and Wingfield opened the hosts up through the middle and Tommy Makinson was the beneficiary with a routine finish out wide.

When the Saints winger added his second conversion to make it 16-0, there was a danger of Halifax folding but they did nothing of the sort.

With nothing to lose, the Panthers threw caution to the wind and had St Helens scrambling.

Zack McComb forced a drop-out with a grubber kick with Saints stretched before Woodburn-Hall had an effort ruled out for offside.

Lachlan Walmsley was sensing a 20th try of the season just after the interval when he went for an interception close to his own line but he could not take in Jack Welsby's pass and saw the England full-back dummy his way over in the next set.

The mood Halifax were in, there was no danger of the floodgates opening.

Eribe Doro threatened a sensational breakaway effort after charging down a Jonny Lomax kick on halfway but was quickly crowded out by Saints defenders.

After Lussick helped himself to another close-range try, Walmsley was taken into touch by a flying Makinson to underline the difference in execution.

Fax eventually got the try they richly deserved seven minutes from time through Fairbank after McComb ran a superb line to hit Jouffret's flat pass.

There was still time for a major flashpoint when Knowles hit Inman high to spark a melee and leave Saints sweating over another long suspension.

Halifax Panthers: Woodburn-Hall, L Walmsley, Tibbs, McComb, Saltonstall, Jouffret, Keyes, Calcott, Moore, Murray, Lannon, Gee, Fairbank. Substitutes: Inman, Doro, Tangata, Larroyer.

St Helens: Welsby, Makinson, Hopoate, Davies, Ritson, Lomax, Dodd, A Walmsley, Lussick, Knowles, Mata'utia, Batchelor, Bell. Substitutes: Bennison, Paasi, Wingfield, Delaney.

Referee: Aaron Moore.