St Helens 38 Huddersfield Giants 2: Giants punished as Tommy Makinson pockets hat-trick

St Helens Saints' Jonny Lomax goes over for his second try past Huddersfield Giants' Dom Young.

The current holder of the Golden Boot scored twice in the first half and again in the second Giants as Justin Holbrook’s side proved the shock defeat at bottom club London was just a blip.

Theo Fages and Jonny Lomax scored two tries apiece while Australian full-back Lachlan Coote produced another virtuoso performance, either scoring or assisting in six of Saints’ tries as well as kicking five goals.

After going behind to an early penalty from Oliver Russell, Saints – who have now beaten Huddersfield three times in 2019 – produced a stunning spell which saw them score five tries in only 20 minutes.

Coote finished off a break from Fages to score and also added the goal before a kick through by Mark Percival was misread by the Huddersfield defence and Lomax had the simple task of touching down for the 100th time in a Saints shirt. Coote’s conversion saw Saints lead 12-2.

There was no easing up from the hosts as Coote set up tries for Makinson and Fages in.

Coote was again on hand to deliver the final pass of a flowing attack which overstretched the Huddersfield defence with 10 minutes, allowing Makinson in to claim his second try. Coote’s third conversion made it 26-2.

It was a similar story after the restart as Saints brought the Giants to their knees with their slick passing and attacking threat.

Makinson completed his hat-trick in the 52nd minute after Fages and Coote combined on the right edge and Coote also kicked the goal.

Moments later and Saints were over for their seventh try, Fages again the provider as his break split the Huddersfield defence and the supporting Lomax scored under the posts for a try which Coote converted.

Despite Saints’ best efforts they could not add to their lead as Huddersfield’s defence held firm for the final 25 minutes, something which may offer some comfort to coach Simon Woolford.

St Helens: Coote, Makinson, Naiqama, Percival, Swift, Lomax, Fages, Thompson, Smith, Walmsley, Knowles, Z. Taia, Paulo. Substitutes: McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Amor, Ashworth, Bentley.

Huddersfield: McIntosh, Young, Turner, J. Wardle, I. Senior, Gaskell, Russell, English, O’Brien, Matagi, Hewitt, Mellor, Murphy. Substitutes: Frawley, Clough, Lawrence, Ta’ai.

Referee: Scott Mikalauskas (RFL).