WOLVES wretched home run against their arch-rivals continued as a Theo Fages-inspired St Helens edged home on Friday.

With Chris Sandow absent and Kurt Gidley carrying a thigh injury, second rower Ben Westwood started as first-choice kicker as Wire struggled from the tee, converting only one of their five tries which proved fatal.

It started well enough, with Stefan Ratchford to the fore as he looked to be relishing stepping into the sizeable gap left by Sandow.

His first notable impact led to points, a perfectly judged kick which Kevin Penny soared to catch before reaching to score.

Saints were still threatening and Wire needed to stretch the lead. Enter Ryan Atkins.

The centre continued his red-hot form by picking a great line to pouch Ashton Sims’ pass and storm over for Wire’s only six-pointer.

Struggling for form and beset by injuries, Saints were expected to crumble but they roared back.

Shannon McDonnell burst through to put Kyle Amor over before Fages flexed his creative muscles, picking the ideal pass to put Jack Ashworth through a gaping hole.

Luke Walsh converted both scores to edge Saints in front, but Wire pinched the lead on the hooter through the competition’s stand-out youngster.

There was nothing on for Ben Currie, surrounded by Saints defenders, but he somehow managed to barrel his way over.

If another bumper Halliwell Jones crowd expected Wire to go on and romp to victory, they were to be disappointed.

Fages opened his box of tricks, putting Matty Dawson over to give Saints the lead again before Matty Russell failed to deal with a Walsh grubber kick, spilling it into the in-goal area where Morgan Knowles was waiting to pounce.

Again, Walsh was bang on target with the boot and a drop goal made The Wire’s task a Herculean one, but they set to work regardless.

Benjamin Jullien broke the line and shipped it to Currie, who bided his time to release Penny for his second.

Wolves got back to within three points as Lineham scored from Ratchford’s kick.

Saints held on in a frantic final 90 seconds to leave the crowd stunned.

INTERESTING NOTES:

Wolves’ first home defeat of the new season

St Helens’ sixth consecutive win at the Halliwell Jones Stadium

Ryan Atkins and Ben Currie score tries in fifth consecutive games

Tom Lineham makes his 100th career appearance (10 Warrington, 68 Hull, 22 York)

MATCH FACTS:

Super League Round 10, Friday, April 8, 2016

Warrington Wolves 22 St Helens 25

Wolves: Matty Russell; Tom Lineham, Ben Currie, Ryan Atkins, Kevin Penny; Kurt Gidley, Stefan Ratchford; Chris Hill, Daryl Clark, Ashton Sims, Jack Hughes, Ben Westwood, Joe Westerman. Subs: Rhys Evans, George King, Benjamin Jullien, Joe Philbin.

Saints: Shannon McDonnell; Jack Owens, Jordan Turner, Matty Dawson, Jake Spedding; Theo Fages, Luke Walsh; Alex Walmsley, James Roby, Andre Savelio, Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Jack Ashworth, Jon Wilkin. Subs: Kyle Amor, Greg Richards, Luke Thompson, Morgan Knowles.

Scoring: Penny try, 7 mins, 4-0; Atkins try, 12 mins, Westwood goal, 10-0; Amor try, 16 mins, Walsh goal, 10-6; Ashworth try, 20 mins, Walsh goal, 10-12; Currie try, 40 mins, 14-12; Dawson try, 47 mins, 14-16; Walsh penalty, 65 mins, 14-18; Knowles try, 70 mins, Walsh goal, 14-24; Walsh drop goal, 71 mins, 14-25; Penny try, 74 mins, 18-25; Lineham try, 78 mins, 22-25.

Penalties: Wolves 8 Saints 3

Referee: Ben Thaler

Attendance: 13,678

Top man: Ben Currie