Lomax inspires Saints return to form against Wire

Jon Bennison's try helped quell Warrington's push and gave St Helens a welcome points buffer

Reigning champions St Helens rediscovered their form with a stirring Jonny Lomax-inspired victory against Super League leaders Warrington Wolves.

Warrington had rallied at the end of the first 40, but Saints and Jon Bennison scored first in the second.

Joey Lussick's goal extended the lead and Tee Ritson's flying try sealed it.

Saints' history-making start to the season in travelling down to Australia for the World Club Challenge and beating Penrith Panthers has come at a cost for Paul Wellens' side, with a mixed start to their league campaign henceforth.

Losses to Wigan and Hull KR set up the possibility of three straight losses for the first time since 2017, but this display of courage, spirit and no little skill pulled the rug from under Warrington, who had only lost one of their opening nine matches.

Daryl Powell's side had built their successful, free-scoring game this season on the back of a relentless ruck speed, but they were unable to replicate that.

Much of that came down to the lack - albeit on both sides - of key forwards, with Saints still without Alex Walmsley, Curtis Sironen and Morgan Knowles while Wire were without the metre-eating Paul Vaughan and Gil Dudson to name but two from their pack.

However, it was Saints who responded best, with pack-leader Matty Lees stomping out yards and standing up to firebrand opponents such as Sam Kasiano, creating a platform for Lomax to weave his magic with a devastating kicking game and precision pass-selection.

Hurrell's try came from an intercept from a George Williams pass, while Lomax's rock of the hips and huge step caught out Danny Walker for a superb solo try.

Jack Welsby threaded a sublime grubber kick for Hopoate to chase as Saints racked up 16 points inside the first quarter, although the introduction of Kasiano and Peter Mata'utia to the Wire pack off the bench gave them more control of the ruck.

Their only reward came when Russell walked a tightrope inside the chalk to touch down brilliantly for his 100th career score to reduce arrears, but the second-half reply did not come for the Wire.

An early second-half try from Bennison, taking a fizzing Lomax cut-out ball and dummying Matt Dufty, seemed to deflate Warrington, and Saints dominated thereafter.

Dufty was targeted by Lomax's kicks, which almost led to tries for Saints, but it seemed as though Lussick's penalty goal would be the only further points until the impressive Ritson took to the air with seconds to play to blow out the score.

Warrington head coach Daryl Powell told BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra:

"I don't think they had enough to deal with tonight, we started pretty poorly. I don't think we ever really got out of the blocks and we allowed to play with way too much front-foot ball.

"They were only too willing to take it. I thought their half-backs and Welsby out the back were class, and we panicked a little bit under pressure. We'd want to behave a fair bit better than than that under pressure over the last couple of weeks.

"I don't think we've handed it well enough and there were some key lessons there. Last week was wet weather stuff and tonight we didn't handle the to-and-fro of a big game. Even with 20 minutes to go we're flicking the ball out the back and it goes to touch. Our attitude to get in the grind and really put pressure on St Helens never really materialised tonight."

St Helens: Welsby; Ritson, Hurrell, Hopoate, Bennison; Lomax, Dodd; McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Roby, Lees, Royle, Batchelor, Bell.

Interchanges: Lussick, Baxter, Delaney, Bruines, [Hill].

Warrington: Dufty; Russell, Minikin, Ratchford, Ashton; Williams, Drinkwater; Harrison, Walker, McGuire, Currie, Nicholson, Clark.

Interchanges: Thewlis, Mata'utia, Kasiano, Green, [Thomas].

Referee: Jack Smith.

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