St Helens (6) 19
Tries: Pryce, Wellens, McCarthy-Scarsbrook Cons: Foster 3 Drops: Gaskell

Huddersfield (0) 6
Tries: Fa'alogo Cons: Grix

Fit-again Pryce scored his first try of the Super League season

St Helens edged past a resilient Huddersfield Giants to consolidate third place in Super League.

Leon Pryce put Saints ahead, unlocking the Giants' defence with a brilliant solo try midway through the first half.

Second-half tries from Paul Wellens and Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook gave the hosts some breathing space before Giants' David Fa'alogo pulled one back.

But a Lee Gaskell drop goal nine minutes from time ensured Saints' fifth consecutive league victory.

St Helens entered the game with a depleted squad after Kyle Eastmond's groin problem meant that he joined dead-leg victims Jonny Lomax, Chris Flannery and Tommy Makinson on the sidelines.

But Royce Simmons' youngsters delivered a strong defensive performance as Huddersfield struggled to make a breakthrough.

DID YOU KNOW? Paul Wellens is now just three tries away from 200 career tries

It was a fit-again Pryce who finally broke the deadlock, sidestepping two defenders to score his first Super League try of the season, winger Jamie Foster converting.

Huddersfield limited the damage until half-time, but it was Saints who started the brighter at the restart, joint skipper Wellens celebrating his 400th appearance for the club by crossing for his 10th try of the season.

Foster converted to score his 200th goal for the club.

St Helens continued their dominance, McCarthy-Scarsbrook running 40 yards and fending off three defenders to cross the line for his sixth Saints try.

Foster landed his third conversion to take the hosts into a 18-0 lead.

Things then got worse for the Giants when Luke O'Donnell was taken off on a stretcher midway through the second half with a suspected knee ligament injury.

A try from Fa'alogo and Scott Grix's conversion reduced the visitors' deficit to 12 points and they were given a further boost when Saints' Paul Clough was sinbinned for dissent.

But a drop goal from Gaskell with eight minutes to go sent Saints clear and the 2006 league champions held on to go three points clear of fourth-placed Huddersfield.

St Helens: Wellens; Armstrong, Shenton, Meli, Foster; Pryce, Gaskell; Graham, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Soliola, Wilkin, Dixon.

Replacements: Moore, Clough, Wheeler, Ashurst.

Huddersfield: Grix; McGillvary, Horne, Lawrence, Cudjoe; Brown, Brough; Griffin, Robinson, O'Donnell, Kirmond, Gilmour, Faiumu.

Replacements: Crabtree, Fa'alogo, Raleigh, Patrick.

Attendance: 6,421.

Referee: Phil Bentham (Warrington).

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