Wigan too good for Saint Helens

Wigan maintained their stranglehold over St Helens at the JJB Stadium with a crushing Super League win on Friday. The Warriors notched up their 12th successive home victory over Saints to exact some revenge for their Challenge Cup final defeat three weeks ago.

Wigan raced to a 20-2 half-time lead with tries from Adrian Lam, Martin Aspinwall and Kris Radlinski.

Martin Gleeson and Paul Sculthorpe grabbed late scores for Saints but Radlinski's second try secured victory.

The win lifted Wigan to fifth place while Saints wasted a chance to move within a point of leaders Leeds at the top.

St Helens seemed more intent on adopting a physical approach early on and head-high tackles by Paul Sculthorpe and Jason Hooper were punished by Farrell.

Sean Long replied with a penalty for Saints, who lost forward Lee Gilmour in the 18th minute with concussion as he was stretchered off in a neck brace.

But it burst into life again as Wigan scored two tries in as many minutes.

The first, after 21 minutes, saw a rejuvenated Adrian Lam - hauled off early in last week's defeat to Warrington - jink his way over from Danny Sculthorpe's brilliant pass.

Farrell added the goal and before St Helens could recover they were hit with another sucker punch when Brent Dallas sent Aspinwall streaking away for the second try.

Dallas might have added a third himself when he failed to hold an interception with a clear run ahead of him.

But it arrived in the 33rd minute when Lam's inside pass found Radlinski on a perfectly timed angle.

Farrell's conversion gave Wigan a commanding 20-2 half-time lead, and the skipper might have grabbed a fourth on the resumption but knocked on over the line.

Farrell extended the lead with another penalty before having another try ruled out for obstruction by Danny Sculthorpe.

But Wigan scored their fourth try before the hour when Radlinski pounced on a fumble by Ade Gardner for his second.

St Helens finally rallied with 14 minutes left, Long and Gleeson combining for the latter to run in under the posts, Long adding the extras.

The inspirational Farrell trooped off to rest a hip injury but replacement Danny Tickle landed a penalty to restore Wigan's 20-point cushion.

Paul Sculthorpe pounced for a second Saints try with six minutes left but Wigan had the last word with Tickle's second penalty. --------

Wigan: Radlinski, Dallas, Aspinwall, Connolly, Hodgson, Orr, Lam, O'Connor, Newton, C. Smith, Hock, Farrell, O'Loughlin. Replacements: Wild, Tickle, Sculthorpe, M. Smith.

St Helens: Wellens, Albert, Gleeson, Talau, Gardner, Hooper, Long, Fozzard, Wilkin, Edmondson, Gilmour, Joynt, Sculthorpe. Replacements: Fa'asavalu, Hardman, Bibey, Stankevitch.

Referee: Ian Smith (Oldham)