GatesheadThunder 32 Saints 20 SAINTS were totally outclassed!

That was the overall verdict as Thunder roared to an outstanding victory which sent sorry Saints tumbling from pole position for the first time as Super League reached the half-way stage

Saints' coach Ellery Hanley was quick to concede that - despite travelling the previous day - his side had been found wanting in every department in a game where they were flattered by the final score.

It could be said that a Gateshead squad composed entirely of Australians kicked off with gusto at the appointed time, but slow-to-start Saints certainly didn't, and it was during that vital opening period the damage was done. For Thunder flashed into a 16-0 lead within the first quarter and led 32-10 after 73 minutes and, although playing on a wide pitch, it was only through a late 10-point rush-of-blood that a Saints' side not 'up' for this one managed respectability.

On the evidence of this pulsating performance ex-Saints' coach Shaun McRae has worked wonders during his short time in the North East but, although revenge must have been sweet, he was magnanimous enough to reflect it was 'just another victory.'

A landmark one nonetheless, because it proved that a well-drilled Gateshead team marshalled by superb halves Will Robinson and Willie Peters, have 'arrived' in their inaugural season with this first win against one of the league's big boys, and must be in contention for the play-off.

The writing was on the wall for Saints as early as the fifth minute when Robinson and Craig Wilson fashioned a try for Matt Daylight with Ian Herron converting, and worse was to come for the visitors when Peters went over from 30 yards after Robinson and skipper Tony Grimaldi set up position.

Saints' disastrous start became all too reminiscent of the one against Wakefield when Grimaldi dummied his way past Paul Newlove and Tony Stewart to score, and with Herron again tacking on the goal Saints already had a mountain to climb against a Gateshead completing sets of six tackles, having a good kicking game, and tackling relentlessly.

Almost 20 minutes had ticked by before Saints posed a real threat to the Thunder line via Newlove and Kevin Iro but Gateshead powered to the other end, and Saints' plight would have been even more desperate if Sean Long and Chris Smith had not 'turned' Robinson in the act of touching down.

Saints were being contained with disturbing ease and their cause was not helped when Long knocked on after Chris Joynt had made the break, or when Herron landed a penalty after Freddie Tuilagi was guilty of ball-stealing.

However, hard-pressed Saints were at last thrown a lifeline as half-time approached when Newlove and Iro carved out a try for Smith, which Long converted to leave Joynt and his men trailing by 18-6 at the interval. Scoring first on the restart was crucial for Saints, and their hopes were realised when Iro thundered through to send Long hurtling 40 yards to the corner, only for Gateshead to inch into a 20-10 advantage courtesy of another Herron goal when Smith was penalised.

Robinson and Grimaldi 'made' a try for Herron which he duly goaled from the touchline, and there was no way back for a Saints' side in disarray with Newlove down and Iro off the field, when penetrative Peters broke away to put supporting full-back Steve Collins under the posts for Herron to land his sixth goal.

A superb run by Apollo Perelini raised Saints' faltering tempo, and there was just time for Martyn and Tuilagi to stage their late-late show with a try apiece to bring the touchdown ratio to five-four in Gateshead's favour, while Saints' tale of woe was complete when Wellens was sin-binned for what was no more than a reflex action.

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