SAINTS ended their First Utility Super League campaign with a 32-16 loss at home to Warrington Wolves.
With their place in the semi finals already secured, the Champions looked jaded from their recent tough matches and their visitors took full advantage running in six tries.
It ensured Keiron Cunningham’s men would finish fourth and face a trip to Leeds, Wigan or Huddersfield next week.
Both sides named unchanged teams from last week but the Wolves looked fresher from the off.
And they seemingly got off to a great start when Chris Sandow’s high kick caused panic in the Saints’ defence and Kevin Penny touched down.
But a Saints man was pushed over as he scrambled for the ball and it was chalked off.
Adam Quinlan and Mark Percival fielded high balls on subsequent sets and then Luke Walsh and Jon Wilkin combined to put Joe Greenwood through for his 10th of the season.
The Captain’s run and pass pivotal in allowing Walsh the space to pick his man out.
But Jack Johnson replied after he got on the outside of Saints’ left hand defence.
Warrington continued to look the more likely and Daryl Clark was unlucky not to put his side ahead on 20 minutes.
The hooker losing the ball as he went over the line.
Saints looked a little flat but the introduction of Atelea Vea and Mose Masoe at least provided a spark.
And a penalty on 25 mins saw Jordan Turner almost get over in the corner – only for the standoff to lose it under pressure from Penny.
Meanwhile Warrington, piggybacked up the field by two penalties, went close through Atkins before Joel Monaghan plunged over in the corner.
Moments later, another error from Saints was punished by Chris Hill who kept his legs motoring with the defence chasing.
That left Saints down by eight at the end of the first half – and they perhaps should have made better of their position within the first couple of minutes of the second.
Wilkin regathered his kick on the last off a Wolves’ player for another six, but they lost the ball on the very next tackle.
Handling errors were the order of the day for both sides before Ryan Atkins took advantage of another one from the home side ten minutes in.
From the restart a massive tackle saw Hill spill the ball and within a tackle Saints were back in it.
Wilkin showed great skill and invention on only the second tackle to chip through for Swift who crossed for his 22nd of the season.
Kevin Penny had an effort ruled out for offside following Sandow’s monster kick but Mark Flanagan ploughed over to make it game on.
Again it went upstairs but like Atkins’ 50:50 score – that looked like a knock on – there was no doubt went this one.
Makinson and Quinlan almost levelled matters as Saints let the ball fly on the hour mark until a penalty four minutes later handed the impetus back to the visitors.
Saints defended their lines wonderfully but Warrington had regained some momentum and Sandow’s kick through to Kevin Penny should have put it to bed.
But he crucially knocked on over the line and it was denied by the video referee.
Another two tries had to go upstairs before the visitors made it safe through Roy Asotasi and Kevin Penny.
Match Summary:
Saints:
Tries: Greenwood, Swift, Flanagan
Goals: Walsh (2 from 3)
Wolves:
Tries: Johnson, Monaghan, Hill, Atkins, Asotasi, Penny
Goals: Sandow (3 from 5), Monaghan (1 from 1)
Penalties:
Saints: 8
Wolves: 7
HT: 6-14
FT: 16-26
REF: James Child
ATT: 10,566
Teams:
Saints:
37. Adam Quinlan; 2. Tommy Makinson, 17. Mark Percival, 4. Josh Jones, 5. Adam Swift; 3. Jordan Turner, 7. Luke Walsh; 10. Kyle Amor, 9. James Roby, 25. Andre Savelio, 13. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, 21. Joe Greenwood, 12. Jon Wilkin.
Subs: 8. Mose Masoe, 11. Atelea Vea, 15. Mark Flanagan, 19. Greg Richards.
Wolves:
34. Jack Johnson; 24. Kevin Penny, 6. Stefan Ratchford, 4. Ryan Atkins, 5. Joel Monaghan; 7. Richie Myler, 33. Chris Sandow; 8. Chris Hill, 9. Daryl Clark, 10. Ashton Sims, 12. Ben Westwood, 17. Ben Currie, 27. George King.
Subs: 13. Ben Harrison, 15. Roy Asotasi, 25. Brad Dwyer, 26. Joe Philbin.
