St Helens moved to within two points of leaders Bradford thanks to a stunning 72-2 victory over struggling Warrington.

Darren Albert was the man-of-the-match with three tries, while Paul Sculthorpe kicked 10 conversions as Saints romped to their second highest Super League victory.

Warrington, who failed to score a single try, must have sensed that the writing was on the wall when Jerome Guisset was sent off on 25 minutes for foul and abusive language.

With the away side down to 12 men, the game was all but over as a contest by half-time as St Helens cruised to a 28-2 lead.

Paul Sculthorpe kicked four first-half goals, with the tries coming from Darren Albert (2), Anthony Stewart, Sean Hoppe and Paul Wellens.

Warrington's misery was compounded with just 33 seconds of the second half played when Chris Joynt went over as the away side failed to gain control of the ball from the kick-off.

Although Paul Sculthorpe missed the conversion, Joint soon added a second try five minutes later after a surging run from hooker Keiron Cunningham.

Sculthopre again missed the kick.

Paul Newlove increased Saints' lead on 55 minutes, cleverly dummying a pass before racing over.

Two minutes later it was Tommy Martyn's turn to get on the score sheet as he collected Newlove's reversed pass, and Sculthorpe's sixth successful conversion made it 48-2.

Another embarrassing lapse in Warrington's concentration saw winger Darren Albert get his hat-trick, before Anthony Stewart added his second and the Saints 11th try of the match.

Sculthopre rounded of the match with his own try followed by his 10th successful kick.

St Helens: Wellens, Albert, Hoppe, Newlove, Stewart, Martyn, Long, Nickle, Cunningham, Shiels, Stankevitch, Joynt, Sculthorpe. Replacements: Ward, Bennett, Higham, Gardner.

Warrington: Penny, Gaskell, Burns, Westwood, Mathers, Domic, N. Wood, Hilton, Clarke, Fozzard, Guisset, Marquet, Noone. Replacements: Felton, Busby, P. Wood, Callan.

Referee: Robert Connolly (Wigan)