Wakefield Trinity 6 St Helens 50: Wildcats' form still lacking as Saints run amok

Chairman Ted Richardson announced at half-time the club will not be moving to Castleford to share a ground with their biggest rivals, raising the grandest cheer of the day from fans deeply concerned given recent speculation.

At that point, their battling side was also still in with a chance of overcoming St Helens, trailing just 16-6 having made life more than difficult for their illustrious visitors.

But, after the break, those battling qualities disintegrated, reminiscent of their dismal second-half showing at Castleford a week earlier, and the sublime Leon Pryce was allowed the freedom of Belle Vue as Saints ran riot.

John Kear's side have now won just three games since defeating the Tigers on Good Friday, although their neighbours' loss at Crusaders means they are still just two points adrift of the top eight.

But hopes of achieving a play-off place are unrealistic on this standard of performance and dismayed Kear was scathing in his assessment.

"It's the biggest hole we've been in since I've been at the club," he said, alarming given Trinity were on the verge of relegation when he arrived four years ago.

"For 30 minutes we competed well but fell away very worryingly.

"We either win by 40 or 50 or collapse and lose by 40 or 50.

"We've asked about character and are we strong enough to tough it out when things are against us or do we think it's acceptable just to capitulate which is what we're doing too frequently?"

Wakefield were blatantly missing someone of Pryce's creative class yesterday, the gifted St Helens stand-off who controlled the contest with effortless ease.

Wildcats enjoyed plenty of quality field position in that first period but lacked both the organisation and penetration to make it count, summed up when scrum-half Sam Obst sent prop Charlie Leaeno lumbering up on the last tackle.

There was nobody taking control and Wakefield cried out for a dynamic operator like Danny Brough, who they allowed to leave for Huddersfield earlier this season.

"We haven't got pivotal players who organise perhaps as well as others clubs do," said Kear, who hinted at major personnel changes.

"Leon Pryce was a major difference. He made everybody in the St Helens side suddenly look world class.

"We've missed some players who have left the club but that was a collective decision and one I still support."

After St Helens made an error-strewn start, Wakefield produced their one incisive move of the contest, Paul Cooke ushering Kieran Hyde through a gap on the Barnsley-born full-back's Super League debut.

The creator converted the eighth minute score but Trinity's lack of conviction when Saints erred again meant they never added to that sole success.

When Wakefield made their first real mistake – Daryl Millard running behind his own player to concede a penalty – the visitors instantly responded, Pryce shaking off Obst's weak tackle attempt to cruise over and Jamie Foster kicking the first of his seven conversions.

Wildcats' second-row Glenn Morrison, one of the few to emerge with credit, had a try ruled out for a forward pass but it was from another cheap error – Julien Rinaldi fumbling when coming out of dummy half – that Saints added their second.

Pryce – still unable to win an England recall despite his stellar form – was given space to tease and torment the Wakefield defence before stabbing through an impromptu kick which sat up perfectly for winger Ade Gardner.

The former Bradford Bull was the instigator once more when they scored soon after, first delivering a monstrous 40/20 to find position and then subsequently laying on the try for Puletua, Wakefield unable to handle his devilment.

In the second period, Scott Moore's flat pass fashioned the first of Jon Wilkin's two tries before Pryce resumed his role as chief architect.

His towering kick caused grief for Hyde and Sean Magennis profited before Wilkin splinted the beleaguered Wakefield defence once more.

Paul Wellens created a second for Magennis before Pryce's precision midfield chip found another way of dissecting the Wildcats, Puletua finishing off before Francis Meli completed the rout.

Wakefield Trinity: Hyde; Gleeson, Demetriou, Millard, Blanch; Cooke, Obst; Leaeno, Rinaldi, Korkidas, Morrison, Kirmond, Leo-Latu. Substitutes: Jeffries, Moore, Gledhill, Henderson.

St Helens: Wellens; Foster, Gidley, Meli, Gardner ; Pryce, Moore; Graham, Roby, Hargreaves, Wilkin, Ashurst, Magennis. Substitutes: Puletua, Emmitt, Clough, Gaskell.

Referee: B Thaler (Wakefield).