Gidley scored his first Super League hat-trick against the Wolves

Warrington: (12) 12
Tries: Briers, Fa'afili
Goals: Briers

St Helens: (16) 48
Tries: Gidley 3, Gardner, Meli, Bennett, Pryce 2, Wellens
Goals: Long 6

Matt Gidley scored a superb hat-trick as St Helens moved to the top of the Super League after a comfortable win over Warrington on Friday.

Gidley went over twice to help put Saints 16-0 up but Lee Briers led a Wolves fightback late in the half to leave them 16-12 down by the break.

Saints, however, started the second half in sparkling form and went on to run in six tries to break Wire hearts.

Gidley sealed his hat-trick while Leon Pryce crossed for two tries.

The Wolves, who had a chance to go top of the table for the first time themselves, never looked like getting the better of the World Club Champions.

Martin Gleeson had a try disallowed by video referee Phil Bentham after 10 minutes but three minutes later Gidley got off the mark when Bentham awarded him a try.

Sean Long missed the kick but Ade Gardner extended the lead on 25 minutes after good support play from Nick Fozzard and Gidley.

Gidley then took Long's pass and wrong-footed Paul Johnson to grab his second touchdown and Long's second goal gave his side a comfortable cushion.

But Lee Briers darted over from a quickly-taken tap penalty to pull one try back and with the last move of the half set up a score for winger Henry Fa'afili to score.

Warrington's comeback proved shortlived, with Saints starting the second half the way they began the first with Francis Meli going over, followed by Gidley, who completed his hat-trick.

It got even better for the visitors when Bennett finished a slick handling move by taking Long's pass to register his side's sixth try.

The game was over by then and Warrington's misery was compounded 14 minutes from the end when Briers and his fellow half-back Chris Bridge both went off injured.

Pryce went over twice - the first when he sprinted 95 metres for a superb solo try and Wellens rounded off the scoring in stoppage time.

"It's been a rough and tough 80 minutes and we've picked up injuries to boot.

"We're very disappointed the scoreline ran away from us. To compete against, let alone beat, Saints you need to be at your best and at your healthiest.

"We defended their early blitz really well but what we couldn't handle was the avalanche of penalties and decisions that went against us."

"I thought the final score flattered us a bit.

"We were sloppy and got the rub of the green in the first half but in the second half we were a bit tighter and a lot more composed and patient."

"Matt (Gidley) has stayed patient and worked hard on his defence. I think everyone knew the class was there."

Warrington: Reardon, Fa'afili, Martin Gleeson, Johnson, Grose, Bridge, Briers, Rauhihi, Clarke, Wood, Westwood, Wainwright, Anderson.
Replacements: Leikvoll, Mark Gleeson, Parker, Sullivan.

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