Mark Percival produced a sublime finish as Saints beat Hull 19-12 to keep their top four hopes alive.
The centre collected a chip from the immense Theo Fages and put down under pressure, with minute room, to swing the contest back to his side.
Danny Richardson then showed remarkable maturity to add a drop goal to leave Hull with too much to do.
Fages and Percival were class personified throughout – and they were backed by the likes of Luke Thompson, James Roby and Luke Douglas.
Handling conditions weren’t the best all night and both sides struggled with completion.
Saints certainly did early on as they dominated the first half.
Morgan Knowles, Dominique Peyroux and Fages all went close before Jamie Shaul put the visitors ahead.
He took a simple pass to finish off a simple move – but there was a clear forward pass from Albert Kelly in the build up.
Saints hit back on the half hour mark after winning back to back sets.
Kicks from Richardson and Fages forced errors from the Hull defence and then James Roby darted in from dummy half.
Mark Percival levelling it with the boot – and then tagging on a penalty as the half time hooter went.
Saints forced a drop out within the first minute of the second half, and then got another in the second.
They couldn’t profit but did when a piece of individual brilliance from Fages extended Saints’ advantage – and Percival was the benefactor.
On the last, the half back shaped to kick it on the short side but showed great feet to dance through the defence and put Percival over.
Josh Griffin felled Jonny Lomax on 57 minutes – and was very lucky to stay on the field – before Luke Thompson went within inches as the game creeped into the final quarter.
More chances came and went, and the visitors made them pay as Mahe Fonua had the simplest task of putting down after he caught Percival’s tip back following a high ball.
It was a blow for the hosts considering they had dominated the majority of the game.
And it almost worse as following Sneyd’s 40:20, and two drop outs, the video referee had to rule out a Talanoa score.
The big winger impeding Makinson as he went for the ball.
Mark Percival then produced a bit of class to stretch Saints’ lead and it was once again down to Fages.
His cute chip on the last was inch perfect for the centre to collect and then somehow put it down for a worldie of a finish.
Danny Richardson showed his maturity with a drop goal wth 77 on the clock to make the game safe – and it was game, set and match when Thompson smashed the ball from Griffin to seal the deal.
Match Summary:
Saints:
Tries: Roby, Percival (2),
Goals: Percival (3 from 4)
Drop: Richardson
Hull:
Tries: Shaul, Fonua
Goals: Sneyd (2 from 2)
Penalties Awarded:
Saints: 7
Hull: 1
HT: 8-6
FT: 19-12
REF: P Bentham
ATT: 9,910
Teams:
Saints:
1. Jonny Lomax; 2. Tommy Makinson, 3. Ryan Morgan, 4. Mark Percival, 28. Regan Grace; 6. Theo Fages, 24. Danny Richardson; 14. Luke Douglas, 9. James Roby, 16. Luke Thompson, 36. Zeb Taia, 18. Dominique Peyroux, 20. Morgan Knowles.
Subs: 8. Alex Walmsley, 10. Kyle Amor, 13. Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, 17. Tommy Lee.
Hull FC:
1. Jamie Shaul; 2. Mahe Fonua, 4. Josh Griffin, 3. Carlos Tuimavave, 5. Fetuli Talanoa; 6. Albert Kelly, 7. Marc Sneyd; 8. Scott Taylor, 9. Danny Houghton, 22. Josh Bowden, 17. Danny Washbrook, 12. Mark Minichiello, 21. Sika Manu.
Subs: 10. Liam Watts, 14. Jake Connor, 16. Jordan Thompson, 29. Masimbaashe Matongo
RD21: Saints v Hull FC
Saints beat Hull (Pictures by Bernard Platt)
