WATCH - Jack Croft in dream debut before Wakefield Trinity fall to St Helens in Challenge Cup

Chester felt the final scoreline was harsh on his battling and injury-hit side, but accepted they had been well-beaten by the best team in the competition on current form.

However, Chester was adamant there was a foundation for Trinity to build on when their Betfred Super League campaign resumes at home to Leeds Rhinos on Friday.

An appearance in at least the last four of either the league or Coral Challenge Cup was Trinity’s goal at the start of the year, but the draw in the knockout competition was unkind.

A trip to the league leaders and cup favourites was the toughest possible challenge and Wakefield’s chances became even slimmer when the teamsheet was handed out.

Already without several star names, Trinity were also missing Max Jowitt (hand), Mason Caton-Brown (stomach), Junior Sa’u (cup-tied), David Fifita (foot) and James Batchleor (knee) from the side that had lost to Catalans Dragons the week before.

To add to their woes, Danny Kirmond suffered concussion midway through the first half moments after taking a bang to a knee and Matty Ashurst (back) and Tyler Randell (ankle) also picked up knocks.

However, the door that slammed shut on Trinity’s injured outside-backs swung open for teenage centre Jack Croft who, although not yet full-time, was drafted in for his senior debut.

He got off to a dream start, bursting past Kevin Naiqama to score a try with his first touch in senior rugby.

The result was not what he would have hoped for, but he emerged with head held high to give Chester something to smile about afterwards.

“We have unearthed a young kid who didn’t look out of place in the left-centre,” said Chester in an upbeat post-match summary.

“He had one session with us before the game, the team run, and I thought he was excellent.

“He has been excellent for the Under-19s and he is a really good talent.

“Junior Sa’u will be available against Leeds on Friday, but where do you put him after Jack Croft’s unbelievable performance on that left-edge?”

“That is food for thought. I was delighted for him and Lee Kershaw didn’t look out of place either.

“He defended well and carried the ball well.”

Kershaw, who scored a try on his debut in the Easter Monday win over Leeds, is also 19 and on the evidence of their limited opportunities so far both have a big future at the top level.

As well as they played, though, Trinity were always fighting a losing battle.

Saints led 26-6 at half-time and ran in eight tries in total.

Chester was realistic enough to admit even a full-strength Wakefield team would probably have found them too strong, though he insisted: “I don’t think we deserved that scoreline.”

Chester reflected: “We knew we were facing an uphill struggle coming up against a St Helens team that are flying at the moment.

“Having said that, I thought – on the whole – we did okay considering the players we’ve got sat on the sidelines.

“The big turning point was going down to 12 men, off the back of attacking their line.

“Then for nine or 10 minutes we didn’t touch the ball.

“Against Saints you need your full complement of players – they are a very good side and they are red hot at the minute, but we can be positive with some aspects of it.”

Croft’s try and a conversion from Danny Brough, who returned from a long lay-off owing to a broken thumb, cancelled out a second-minute try by Lachlan Coote, who also kicked the first of five conversions.

He edged Saints back in front with a penalty goal and the dam burst in the second quarter when Tommy Makinson and Morgan Knowles went over before Trinity’s Ryan Hampshire was sin-binned for a professional foul, stripping the ball out after a try-saving tackle on Knowles.

Coote took the two from the ball-steal penalty, Regan Grace crossed from Zeb Taia’s offload and then Coote booted his third penalty of the half.

A try 10 minutes after the interval, Tyler Randell running through to touch down Brough’s kick, gave Trinity a glimmer of hope, which lasted until 19 minutes from time when Taia zipped over from Joseph Paulo’s pass.

After that Taia and Coote combined to create a try for Mark Percival, Jonny Lomax finished off good work by Taia and Naiqama completed the scoring, off Coote’s pass, in the 76th minute.

Chester said: “I thought Saints were very, very good.

“I don’t think even with our best side out there we’d have beaten them, though we would have caused them a few problems.

“They are the best team in this competition by a long, long way at the moment and they are certainly going to take some stopping.”

St Helens: Coote, Makinson, Naiqama, Percival, Grace, Lomax, Richardson, Walmsley, Roby, Thompson, Taia, Peyroux, Knowles. Substitutes: Paulo, Lees, Ashworth, McCarthy-Scarsbrook.

Wakefield Trinity: Hampshire, Kershaw, Lyne, Croft, Jones-Bishop, Miller, Brough, England, Randell, Kopczak, Kirmond, Ashurst, Tanginoa. Substitutes: Crowther, Wood, King, Hirst.

Referee: C Kendall (Huddersfield).