Harlequins (12) 16
Tries: Temata, Pryce, O'Callaghan
Goals: Gale 2
St Helens (4) 34
Tries: Armstrong 3, Gaskell, Hale, McCarthy-Scarsbrook
Goals: Makinson 5

St Helens came from 12-4 down at half-time to warm up for the play-offs with victory over Harlequins at The Stoop.

Young winger Tom Armstrong completed a second-half hat-trick, while Lee Gaskell and Scott Hale also crossed.

And Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook also ran in a try against the club he left to join Saints last winter, Tommy Makinson kicking five conversions out of six.

Prop Karl Temata, on-loan Wigan centre Karl Pryce and young winger Jamie O'Callaghan got Quins' other tries.

With next Sunday's play-off semi-final against rivals Wigan at the DW Stadium in mind, Saints rested four of their big guns, Jamie Foster, Leon Pryce, James Roby and Sia Soliola.

But, despite the shock of conceding first-half tries to Temata and Pryce, they rallied after the break to earn their 12th successive win in this corner of the capital.

Saints produced a 30-point second half to wipe out a half-time deficit, Armstrong proving the star of the show.

The best part of today's performance is that we came down here with 18 guys to play, and 15 of them have come through our Academy Saints coach Royce Simmons

But, with the likes of Carl Forster making his debut, and players like Andrew Dixon and Matty Ashurst getting some useful playing time, coach Royce Simmons was eager to focus on his second stringers.

Armstrong gave the visitors an early lead when he crossed in the corner but, with Saints coughing up a few handling errors, the home side took advantage to go in leading at the break.

Temata was first to cross for Quins, cashing over after taking a pass from Pryce, who himself rumbled over in the corner before the half-hour mark.

However, everything that was going wrong before the interval went right after the restart as Saints ran in five tries.

O'Callaghan did grab another try for the Londoners but it was mere consolation.

Harlequins coach Rob Powell:

"At half-time we really felt we could go on and win it. But, for the first 20 minutes of the second half we were just defending our line and that took all the juice out of us.

"We ended up too near our own sticks and were getting penalised and just could not get the ball.

"That much defending will bite you at some stage and it did today."

St Helens coach Royce Simmons:

"The best part of today's performance is that we came down here with 18 guys to play, and 15 of them have come through our Academy.

"That is absolutely tremendous, the first time it has ever happened for us.

"To come here and give players some much-needed game time ahead of the play-offs is a big thing for us and will really stand us in good stead."

Harlequins: Dorn; Melling, O'Callaghan, Pryce, Calderwood; Sarginson, Gale; Ward, Randall, Temata, Bailey, Purdham, Clubb.

Replacements: Golden, Williams, Ellis, Wilkes.

St Helens: Wellens; Makinson, Shenton, Wheeler, Armstrong; Gaskell, Lomax; Graham, Moore, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Wilkin, Ashurst, Clough.

Replacements: Dixon, Forster, Hale, Ashe.

Referee: Tim Roby (RFL).

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version