Saints power to victory

Chris Joynt played his part in Saints' triumph

St Helens 54-16 Huddersfield

Sean Long emphasised his importance to St Helens by overcoming injury to help the Saints to the semi-finals of the Challenge Cup.

The Great Britain half-back left the field at half-time to have a head wound attended to, but he returned to help the hosts go from 18-10 to their overwhelming final score.

His contribution amounted to more than the two solo tries he registered.

Saints were well in control, leading 42-10, by the time Long, with a man-of-the-match 22-point haul, took another well-earned rest after an hour and the only disappointment for the Superleague champions was the loss of his half-back partner Tommy Martyn with an arm injury.

He's a tough kid. He wanted to stay on, it was my decision to bring him off. He was finding it hard to see out of his eye.

  Saints Coach Ian Millward on Sean Long

Huddersfield crumbled alarmingly in the second-half, conceding virtually a point a minute to undo their splendid work of the first-half, during which they briefly held the lead.

Worryingly for the Giants, they return to Knowsley Road for a Super League game on Friday.

It all looked so different during the early going as Huddersfield, Super League wooden spoonists for the last three years, stunned the world club champions with two tries in six minutes to take a 10-4 lead.

The game appeared to be running back to form when Saints' centre Sean Hoppe brushed aside some weak tackling after only 90 seconds to send full-back Paul Wellens over for the first try.

Long was unable to add the conversion but Saints demonstrated confidence bordering on arrogance when they declined a penalty attempt from in front of the posts after Huddersfield stand-off Chris Thorman put a drop-out straight into touch.

Huddersfield's kicking was often wayward but Thorman's long punt from a scrum on halfway caught the Saints' defence napping and speedy winger Andrew Frew raced over for his fifth try in three cup ties.

And the Yorkshiremen had the temerity to take the lead when Thorman sliced through a gap in the Saints' defence and hooker Paul Rowley fed prop Steve Molloy over for a try which Steve McNamara converted.

Thorman was transformed from hero to villain four minutes later when his loose pass was scooped up by Martyn, who dashed 70 yards to score a try.

We showed some good spirit but the amount of effort they put in cost them in the end. I guess it was the difference between superior athletes.

  Giants coach Tony Smith

Long's goal levelled the scores and Saints regained the lead on 19 minutes when skipper Chris Joynt burst through McNamara's tackle to score from close range.

But they had a let-off in injury-time when Giants centre Dale Cardoza dropped a return pass from winger Ben Cooper with the try-line beckoning.

It was a different story after the break, however, with Long bossing the show and Wellens and hooker Keiron Cunningham also coming into their own.

Long touched down twice and young forward Mark Edmondson took the opportunity to score his first try for the club.

Cunningham, Steve Hall and Tim Jonkers also touched down at regular intervals before Huddersfield hooker Paul Rowley grabbed a late consolation try.