SAINTS ran in nine tries as they swamped Bradford 50-0 on Sunday.
Led superbly by Luke Walsh and Lance Hohaia they overwhelmed the Bulls to pull within a point of Leeds at the top of the Super League table.
They coasted to a 22-0 first half lead with Walsh imperious.
He scored one and made three others, as his side overran the Bulls’ charge.
Jon Wilkin bagged two whilst Jonny Lomax took advantage of Tommy Makinson’s great offload.
The second half was a little tighter but well-worked tries from Makinson and Adam Swift within the first ten minutes underlined their superiority.
Three more tries coming in the last quarter to finish off a complete performance.
Saints named a familiar looking line up with Anthony Walker coming in at prop and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook moving to loose forward.
Paul Wellens returned on the bench and there was a spot for Luke Thompson too.
The Bulls made a couple of changes – Lee Gaskell partnering Danny Addy in the halves – and ex-Saint Jamie Foster was on the wing.
Saints kicked off but two early penalties for offside gave Bradford a big opportunity.
The visitors hung on but it was the Bulls that were making all the headway in the opening stages.
Saints did test the Bulls’ line when James Roby chipped to Tommy Makinson in the 9th minute but seconds later Bradford broke and Foster just couldn’t collect a kick – the ball going over the touchline.
From that scrum Saints scored. They moved it on the blindside and Matty Dawson went 70 metres only to be hauled down.
The visitors had numbers on the left though and Jon Wilkin used all his strength to go over.
Walsh with the extras.
Saints had settled into their defensive structure very well denying Bradford any opportunity to take advantage of their slick play.
And they were starting to poke through in attack as well threatening the line each time.
Roby’s chip forced a drop out on 22 minutes – after Mose Masoe had been held up over the line – and then Greenwood went to within inches.
You always felt a Saints try was coming though and when it did, it was superb.
Lance Hohaia went to the line, stepped and ghosted through. Support wasn’t forthcoming but when the stand-off was tackled he offloaded to the sprinting Luke Walsh who went in under the sticks.
Saints next score came courtesy of a Walsh chip to the corner which was taken in the air by Makinson and offloaded to Jonny Lomax.
Adam O’Brien was denied by a last-ditch tackle on the line with four minutes to go and then Jonny Lomax took a high ball in ‘sand corner’ to quell an attack.
But Saints were dominate and it showed when Walsh masterminded another try. His pass catching Wilkin on a simple line for his brace.
In the second half Saints won an early repeat set and good hands saw Tommy Makinson cruise over.
Saints then picked off a Bradford attack and Hohaia drew the defence for Adam Swift’s ninth of the season.
Bradford had a chance on 60 minutes when they forced two repeat sets but inexplicably knocked on from the drop out.
And Saints make them pay – Sia Soliola crossing for his side’s seventh of the afternoon.
There was time for Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook and James to get on the scoresheet in the final stages.
Match Summary:
Bulls:
Tries:
Goals:
Saints:
Tries: Wilkin (2), Walsh, Lomax, Makinson, Swift, Soliola, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Roby
Goals: Walsh (7 from 9)
Penalties:
Bulls: 6
Saints: 5
HT: 22-0
FT: 50-0
REF: Matthew Thomason
ATT: 6311
Teams:
Bulls:
2. Elliot Kear; 22. Sam Wood, 21. Adam Henry, 34. Joe Arundel, 5. Jamie Foster; 16. Danny Addy, 17. Lee Gaskell; 35. Antonio Kaufusi, 9. Matt Diskin, 15. Adam Sidlow, 11. Tom Olbison, 3. Adrian Purtell, 33. Jay Pitts.
Subs: 13. Chev Walker, 19. Adam O’Brien, 20. Luke George, 24. Alex Mellor.
Saints:
1. Jonny Lomax; 2. Tommy Makinson, 4. Josh Jones, 26. Matty Dawson, 5. Adam Swift; 6. Lance Hohaia, 7. Luke Walsh; 25. Anthony Walker, 9. James Roby, 18. Alex Walmsley, 12. Jon Wilkin, 23. Joe Greenwood, 10. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook.
Subs: 8. Mose Masoe, 11. Sia Soliola,17. Paul Wellens, 28. Luke Thompson.
