Maguire delighted at passionate derby victory

The Warriors used the wind and driving rain at their backs to establish a 14-0 half-time lead but the sin-binning of Amos Roberts early in the second half almost proved costly as Saints scored two tries in his absence to set up an exciting finish.

With both sides scoring two tries, the outcome came down to the accurate boot of Wigan winger Pat Richards, Super League's leading points-scorer who kicked five goals from as many attempts, but the table-toppers were clearly the superior side.

"I definitely felt the passion," said Maguire. "The people around me were all getting stuck into me. It was rather good fun actually.

"It was one of the most amazing atmospheres from a game I've experienced.

"Since I landed, when I walked into my first pub, everybody told me if I didn't win anything but we beat St Helens, they'd be happy with me.

"It was quite an unusual welcome but I can understand it because there's a lot of passion between the two teams."

Already without Andy Coley, Cameron Phelps, Harrison Hansen and Mark Riddell through injury, the Warriors lost centre George Carmont with a leg problem after half-an-hour and Maguire revealed that Michael McIlorum and prop Eamon O'Carroll almost missed the game through injury and sickness respectively.

"Halfway through the week, we didn't have half a team in training," he said. "I didn't know what sort of team I would have until this morning. I'm very proud of them. They showed great character.

"There were a few nerves when we were down to 12 men but it was an outstanding effort from the boys to hang in."

In the first half Saints were unrecognisable from the side that beat Warrington and Huddersfield, the other two top-four teams, in their previous two matches but ran in tries through Ade Gardner and Tony Puletua while Roberts was in the sin bin to set up an exciting finish.

"We had our chances but we're a little disappointed with our execution," said coach Mick Potter. "We got over the line a few times and went close on others and it cost us. It was back to winter rugby and we got bogged down a bit in the first half."