St Helens 46 Huddersfield Giants 12: Saints pile on trouble for Anderson’s Giants strugglers

New Giants coach Paul Anderson, who took over from St Helens-bound Nathan Brown a fortnight ago, saw his old club run in eight tries to climb above Catalan Dragons back in third spot.

Lance Hohaia was in dominant form for Saints whose tries came from eight different players with Tommy Makinson notching 18 points from a touchdown and seven goals.

St Helens, who were pipped 
17-16 at the Galpharm Stadium in March, were missing suspended Tony Puletua and back rower Mark Flanagan returned on the bench as they looked to extend their winning sequence to six matches.

Huddersfield suffered an embarrassing home defeat by Wakefield in Anderson’s first match in charge last week.

They gave a debut to second rower Brett Ferres last night following his arrival from Castleford, and Anderson welcomed back Michael Lawrence and David Faiumu from injury to replace Dale Ferguson.

Saints, on the back of a six-match unbeaten run, went ahead after five minutes following a weaving run by Hohaia.

Swift passing allowed Sol Soliola to send Saints’ Makinson squeezing in at the corner with the try awarded by video referee Phil Bentham.

Saints were only denied a second try by Jonny Lomax from an unlucky bounce with visitors Huddersfield under the cosh from the start.

Then Castleford-bound centre Michael Shenton looked a certain scorer but was recalled for a forward pass from Anthony Laffranchi.

Saints were finally rewarded for their pressure after 14 minutes when Lomax took a return pass from Chris Flannery to score and stretch the advantage to 10-0.

Francis Meli’s try in the corner came courtesy of Jon Wilkin’s kick and Paul Wellens’s off-load for Josh Perry to float a long pass to the winger.

Makinson’s touchline conversion made it 16-0 midway through the first half before Keith Mason crashed over against his old club to open the Giants’ account with Danny Brough tagging on the extras.

The Giants joy was short-lived with Hohaia darting between Eorl Crabtree and Ferres after a Mason mistake to extend the hosts’ lead to 22-6.

Substitute Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook got in on the act by bulldozing over under the posts after 27 minutes.

Saints’ defence was undone by a Brough kick which bounced kindly for Michael Lawrence to send Scott Grix over and reduce the arrears to 28-12.

Ferres showed some neat touches for Huddersfield but their poor start was summed up by Brough throwing a pass straight into touch to end a promising move.

Huddersfield started the second half brighter but had a let-off when Makinson went close for a second try.

But Laffranchi went over on the hour and then James Roby raced away for a sparkling solo effort before captain Wellens added the eighth try.

St Helens: Wellens, Makinson, Shenton, J. Jones, Meli, Hohaia, Lomax, Perry, Roby, Laffranchi, Flannery, Soliola, Wilkin. Substitutes: McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Flanagan, Clough, Dixon.

Huddersfield: Eden, Cudjoe, Lawrence, Gilmour, George, Grix, Brough, Crabtree, Robinson, Mason, Ferres, Chan, Fa’alogo. Substitutes: Faiumu, Patrick, Lee, Moore.

Referee: J Child (Dewsbury).