Crusaders 10-36 St Helens

Crusaders (10) 10
Tries: Mellars, Winternstein Goals: Schifcofske

St Helens (14) 36
Tries: Eastmond, Wellens, Gardner, Foster, Roby, Lomax, Puletua Goals: Foster 4

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Saints scored twice late on after Roby's controversial score

St Helens climbed above Warrington into second place in Super League on points difference with a hard-fought win at play-off chasing Crusaders.

Vince Mellars gave Crusaders an early lead but Saints fought back to go in 14-10 ahead at the break through Kyle Eastmond, Paul Wellens and Ade Gardner.

Jamie Foster extended their lead before a controversial James Roby try, given by the video referee, proved crucial.

It killed the hosts off as Jonny Lomax and Tony Puletua went over late on.

Saints needed a 21-point victory margin to leapfrog Warrington but it did not look likely as they led only 14-10 going into the final quarter.

Indeed, Crusaders looked capable of enhancing their own play-off prospects as they took the game to the visitors, with Mellars marking his return from injury with a third-minute try after good work from Clinton Schifcofske and Jason Chan.

St Helens hit back with two tries in five minutes as Eastmond scored from Chris Flannery's offload before his clever kick put Wellens in to touch down.

The home side drew level when Peter Lupton sent Frank Winternstein romping over and were only denied the lead when Luke Dyer had a try disallowed for offside.

Instead, Saints went into the interval in front as Jon Wilkin put Gardner in with an accurate overhead pass.

Saints lost Eastmond to a suspected side injury nine minutes into the second half and the game entered into a stalemate.

Foster went over in the corner to end that, but it was Roby's score that proved decisive as it was ruled that he had squeezed over.

And Saints capitalised with two more scores as Lomax jinked his way in before Puletua bundled his way over.

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Crusaders RL: Schifcofske, Dyer, Martin, Mellars, Youngquest, Lupton, Hanbury, O'Hara, Withers, Bryant, Winternstein, Chan, Hauraki.
Replacements: Lee, James, Thackray, Trimarchi.

St Helens: Wellens, Foster, Gidley, Meli, Gardner, Lomax, Eastmond, Graham, Roby, Hargreaves, Flannery, Wilkin, Moore.
Replacements: Cunningham, Puletua, Ashurst, Emmitt.

Att: 5,436.

Referee: Richard Silverwood (Dewsbury).