WARRINGTON Wolves were unable to beat a side sitting top of Super League for a second week running as St Helens maintained their winning start with a victory at Langtree Park.

Having earned a victory in Round Five that toppled Leeds Rhinos from the summit Tony Smith's side came unstuck against new frontrunners St Helens.

It was their first loss in eight games away from The Halliwell Jones Stadium against Saints, who held onto a 100 per cent start to the Super League season.

Daryl Clark brought Wolves level after Joe Greenwood’s opening try, but St Helens soon retook the lead through Jon Wilkin and quickly extended it via Adam Swift’s score in the corner.

Micky Higham’s try looked like leading the fight-back for Wolves, but Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook and Tommy Makinson crossed before Kevin Penny could add another.

Stand-in captain Chris Hill urged his side forward and dived over with five minutes to go, but Wolves were unable to complete the comeback.

Wolves’ attempts to break the arm-wrestle first bore fruit six minutes when Stefan Ratchford span wide to Ryan Atkins inside his own 10 metre line.

The centre made good ground, entering the Saints half with Kevin Penny in support, but Wolves’ flying winger was unable to escape the attention of the hosts’ defence.

At the other end, Adam Swift looked like having a yard on Penny wide out on St Helens’ left, but the 27-year-old made a recovery tackle that sent his counterpart into touch.

Swift was nearly in again after 12 minutes, good hands from Jordan Turner taking Penny out of the game and full back Ratchford having to make the tackle 10 metres from his own line.

The St Helens defence was giving Wolves little room, and it took last week’s man of the match Ben Westwood cutting a fine line to open them up again.

His neat offload found the supporting Ratchford, who in turn handed on to Chris Bridge.

Bridge, not having the legs on Saints’ defence, flung a pass high behind him with Penny the target, but the Warrington-born winger attempted to palm it on first time with a move more at home in his basketball days and the hosts retrieved possession.

Then, with 18 minutes on the clock, Keiron Cunningham’s side broke the deadlock. A fine passing move put Greenwood in from close range and Travis Burns converted.

Wolves’ reply came seven minutes later. Mose Masoe was penalised for a shoulder charge close to his own line, allowing Westwood a run at the line.

He was grounded two metres out, but reigning Man of Steel Clark gathered quickly at the play-the-ball to dive over. Ratchford added the extras.

Seven minutes later and Wolves found themselves behind again, with Saints enjoying a touch of fortune to take the lead for a second time.

Turner turned on the pace before attempting a grubber, which rebounded off Penny’s back and the Saints centre volleyed on into the path of Wilkin, who picked up comfortably and crossed unopposed. Burns converted.

Wilkin would turn creator moments later, sending a long pass beyond Penny for Swift to gather and dart over the line wide out. Burns maintained his 100m per cent record with boot.

It was a far cry from the impenetrable defensive effort Wolves had shown against Leeds for large parts a round earlier, while Tony Smith’s side were also not showing the same clinical finishing.

Ben Currie was the latest to throw away a pass that ended up in touch.

Saints looked to take the opportunity to edge themselves more than the two converted tried ahead when Westwood was penalised, but Burns pulled his kick from 40 metres wide.

Ratchford’s attempt to catch the wayward penalty saw him step backwards into touch.

But Wolves soon had the ball back in hand and narrowed the deficit with nine minutes of the second half played.

Atkins was repelled first off, but once George King went to ground later in the set former Saints man Higham collected quickly and weaved his way to the line. Gareth O’Brien took over kicking duty from Ratchford and added the extras.

Saints again hit back almost immediately, with 55 minutes on the clock McCarthy-Scarsbrook picked up and drove his way over after the visitors had conceded a penalty close to the own sticks. Burns converted.

Wolves were struggling to overcome the strength of the Saints pack, but a clever Penny break put them back in the hosts’ half, with O’Brien’s kick eventually being scrambled out of play.

Warrington were enjoying their greatest spell of pressure at this point, with 20 minutes remaining, and three penalties in quick succession – one for a high tackle from Atelea Vea on O’Brien – kept the ball in primrose and blue hands.

The visitors thought that pressure had paid off when the ball moved through the hands of Ratchford, Bridge and Currie before full-stretch Penny dived into the corner.

However, referee Ben Thaler indicated no try and had his decision confirmed by the video.

And it was from a Wolves error that the hosts crossed for the fifth time. Westwood knocked-on a pass straight into the welcoming arms of Vea.

The second row had the legs to go 40 metres before bouncing of a tackle and eventually setting up a quick play-the-ball for St Helens to put Makinson in at the corner. Burns kicked the conversion from wide out.

Wilkin’s attempt to edge his side further ahead with a drop goal saw him miss the target soon after.

And with 10 minutes left on the clock Wolves hit back, narrowing the gap to 12 points again.

Bridge charged down an attempted clearance kick and scooped up with a free run at the line ahead of him, instead choosing to hand on to winger Penny. He juggled before taking hold and going the distance. O’Brien converted.

Wolves continued to apply the pressure, but a strong Saints defence kept them at bay time and time again, getting penalised on several occasions, before skipper Hill threw a superb dummy and dived over. O’Brien reduced Saints’ lead to six points with the kick.

Burns kicked a penalty to complete Saints’ victory.