Warrington Wolves 34

Saints 47 SUPERB Saints completed a happy Easter double at Wilderspool on Monday, but only after an almighty struggle with the issue in doubt until the closing stages.

At first glance point-a-minute scoring might pose questions about defence, but in reality it was a wildly-exciting 'derby' lacking nothing in 'big hits' and entertaining rugby, all the more remarkable after Good Friday exertions

A 13-try extravaganza in which the lead changed hands seven times meant more twists and turns than an Agatha Christie thriller, and was meat and drink to the record crowd, particularly Saints' massive support as their team continue to delight.

Nine goals and two tries spelled 26 points for the prolific Sean Long, but it was perhaps a blessing in disguise that the press corps were not asked to name a Saints man-of-the-match, such was the quality of the team as a whole.

Many supporters believed the video referee was used to excess, with the 'all-seeing eye' being called to adjudicate on at least half-a-dozen occasions, and a couple of borderline decisions did Saints no favours.

Warrington exerted much of the early pressure and Kohe-Love's tackle on Chris Joynt was placed on report but, after Apollo Perelini was held on the line, it was Saints who opened the scoring when Long jinked past Ian Knott and Lee Penny.

Sean added a penalty when Jon Roper was cautioned, only for Warrington to hit back when Penny touched down after John Stankevitch lost possession, and Saints enjoyed the rub of the green when Steve Blakeley's conversion rebounded.

Wolve's man-of-the-match Alan Langer then put fellow Aussie Andrew Gee over with Blakeley on target this time, and also landing a penalty when Joynt was sin-binned for dissent. Smarting Saints levelled matters with support work of high order as Keiron Cunningham, Paul Wellens, Freddie Tuilagi and Long carved out a six-pointer for Sean Hoppe, and the visitors took a 16-12 lead when Tommy Martyn sent in Kevin Iro

However the pre-interval pendulum swung back to Warrington when the screen revealed that touchdowns by Tawera Nikau and Blakeley were valid, although the latter again hit the woodwork with the second conversion.

Trailing by just six points, Saints laid seige to the railway end and when Langer fouled Long, the Saints' marksman kicked a penalty before Saints regained the initiative when Tuilagi's thunderous break saw Perelini cross for Long to goal.

See-saw scoring was the name of the game when Langer dispossessed Martyn behind the try line for a gift six points, only for Exocet missile Tuilagi to rescue Saints' with a 60-yard solo, with Long tacking on the extra points.

A brace of penalties from Sean's trusty boot and a drop goal from Martyn meant Saints led 35-28 with 70 minutes gone, and the points plethora raged unabated via further tries from Long and Nickle and Penny's second for the Warriors.

So the Saints' bandwagon rolls merrily on via six successive wins under Ian Millward, while the lesson to be learned for a Warrington side still to defeat Saints in Super League is that they cannot afford to leave Lee Briers in a substitute role.