Meli notched his second hat-trick in the space of six games

St Helens: (18) 36
Tries: Gilmour, Meli 3, Gardner, Roby, Pryce
Goals: Wellens 4

Warrington: (10) 16
Tries: Penny, Martin Gleeson
Goals: Briers 4

St Helens retained the Super League leaders' shield after a comfortable win over Warrington, combined with Hull's victory over Leeds.

Francis Meli went over for a hat-trick of tries for the impressive Saints.

Two Lee Briers goals gave the Wolves an early lead but it was one-way traffic after that and their cause was not helped when Adrian Morley was sent off.

Lee Gilmour, Ade Gardner, James Roby and Leon Pryce also went over with Paul Wellens kicking four goals.

Watched on by Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez, St Helens recorded their 28th win in 29 Super League games against Warrington, whose place in the top six is under serious threat.

We've finished top and we've deserved to finish top Daniel Anderson St Helens coach

Briers' early scores gave the Wolves a platform on which to build after Saints prop Nick Fozzard and Warrington counterpart Chris Leikvoll had been placed on report after clashing inside the opening two minutes.

The hosts soon lost Fozzard with an arm injury and struggled without injured scrum-half Sean Long, but Gilmour brought his side back into the game midway through the half with a try.

Meli added a second in the left corner soon after and a superb move down the right flank saw Pryce, Roby and Matt Gidley combine to send Gardner over shortly after the half-hour mark.

Warrington's teenage sensation Kevin Penny notched his 13th try in 12 appearances but Meli hit back with his second to give Saints further breathing space.

Paul Wellens converted for his first goal from four attempts and Roby struck soon after the break to extend Saints' advantage.

Meli was soon on hand to claim his hat-trick and Warrington lost Mark Gleeson through injury moments later.

But the Wolves roared back into contention on the hour when Gleeson's brother Martin weaved his way over to cut the gap to 12 points.

After Morley was dismissed on 68 minutes for a high tackle, Wellens landed the resultant penalty and Pryce added a sixth try for Saints.

"We're just enjoying winning and playing well and we've started to find our touch in the last couple of weeks.

"We've finished top and we've deserved to finish top."

"Rob (Parker) has got a suspected fractured cheekbone and Mark (Gleeson) has sustained an elbow injury.

"We came here to play but we are bitterly disappointed that we've conceded three tries - one to a bomb and two where they've pushed their way over from dummy half.

"That lost 18 points and is bitterly disappointing."

St Helens: Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Talau, Meli, Pryce, Wilkin, Fozzard, Cunningham, Cayless, Gilmour, Bennett, Flannery.
Replacements: Roby, Graham, Clough, Fa'asavalu.

Warrington: Grose, Penny, M. Gleeson, Fa'afili, Riley, Bridge, Briers, Leikvoll, M. Gleeson, Morley, Westwood, Bracek, Clarke.
Replacements: Parker, Pickersgill, Harrison, Mitchell.

Referee: A Klein (London)