Gardner scored his third in the last 10 minutes of the game

A hat-trick from Ade Gardner helped St Helens thrash Hull KR with to an awesome nine-try performance.

The home side took a 30-0 half-time lead thanks to two tries each from Gardner and Matt Gidley, with Maurie Fa'asavalu crossing over.

Leon Pryce extended Saints's lead on 49 minutes, but Rovers finally hit back through Mick Vella and Shaun Briscoe.

Gardner touched down for his hat-trick on 71 minutes before late tries from Willie Talau and Paul Wellens.

After pushing the Challenge Cup holders so close in last week's quarter-final, Hull KR capitulated under the relentless onslaught as Saints produced one of the most comprehensive displays of attacking football all season.

But coach Daniel Anderson looks set to be without Jason Cayless and Chris Flannery, who both sustained injuries during the game.

Rovers's left wing was exposed for its defensive frailties as a series of incisive passes made their way to Gardner, who touched down for his 19th and 20th tries of the season in the corner inside 19 minutes.

Hull KR's best moment came when Jake Webster intercepted Sean Long's pass, but Pryce used his pace to haul the winger down on the half-way line, much to the delight of the Knowsley Road faithful.

Pryce soon turned defence into attack after Rovers were held up on their sixth tackle, only for Long to spill his neat pass with the tryline in his sights.

606: DEBATE Great to see Paul Sculthorpe back in the arena and finishing the game in good health i-ate-the-pies

But Saints extended their lead further when Maurie Fa'asavalu powered through four challenges to touch down under the posts on 31 minutes.

Former Australia centre Gidley struck five minutes before the interval following a sweeping passing move to expose Rovers' defensive inadequacies once again.

Pryce continued the onslaught after the break, racing through after an interception from Jon Wilkin on 49 minutes.

Rovers finally managed to earn their first points on 60 minutes when Vella powered over following an intelligent pass from Paul Cooke.

And Briscoe added a second three minutes later, selling Paul Sculthorpe a dummy before touching down on the left flank.

However, Saints upped the intensity and Gardner touched down for his hat-trick on 71 minutes thanks to yet another slick handling move involving Saints' backline.

Talau then scored his 60th try for Saints, skipping through a gaping hole in the Rovers defence before Wellens completed the rout in the final minute of the game, adding the extras with the boot.

St Helens coach Daniel Anderson on Cayless' and Flannery's injuries:

"It's pretty serious, because it appears both boys have medial ligament damage.

"Chris Flannery definitely has medial ligament damage, but we'll have another look at Jason Cayless tomorrow and we hope it's not cruciate ligament damage.

"We hope they are just medial injuries, but they will both be missing for an extended period."

Hull KR coach Justin Morgan:

"We were very poor all over the park.

"We were a bit fatigued after last week - but that's no excuse. "I thought they (Saints) were good, but we were let down by poor discipline again."

St Helens: Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Talau, Meli, Pryce, Long, Cayless, Cunningham, Graham, Flannery, Wilkin, Sculthorpe. Replacements: Roby, Hargreaves, Clough, Fa'asavalu.

Hull KR: Briscoe, Fox, J. Webster, Fitzhenry, Steel, Cooke, Dobson, Crossman, Fisher, Vella, Newton, Gene, Walker. Replacements: Mills, Cockayne, J. Netherton, Chester. Referee: P Bentham (Warrington)