Saints are having an inconsistent season and after last weeks loss at home to the Catalans Dragons, their fourth consecutive home loss, they are in sixth spot in Super League. But a big home win against the struggling Leeds Rhinos could see them up to fourth by the end of the evening.

The Rhinos had the confidence boost of a close home win over Hull FC last weekend but were still without many first teamers including; McGuire, Moon, Hall, Cuthbertson and Briscoe. Saints have had their own injury problems but welcomed back a handful of players including Lomax and Vea.

The tone was set after just four minutes when Jonny Lomax marked his comeback turning the Rhinos defence inside out off a James Roby pass to go thirty metres to score without a tacklers hand on him. Luke Walsh kicked the extra two.

Just two minutes later and it was 12-0 with a try for Joe Greenwood who benefitted from Luke Walsh finding a gap in a lacklustre Rhinos defence to go over from ten metres. Walsh missed the extras but in possession the Saints were electric.

On twenty-two and after Saints lost their way on the last, getting caught in possession, Rob Burrow made a great break before getting pulled down just short of the line. After a quick play-the-ball Ash Golding took a long looping pass from Liam Sutcliffe to go over in the corner. Jordan Lilley kicked the conversion from wide for 6-10.

On twenty-nine the Rhinos levelled the scores after a Lilley interception saw him go forty before finding Liam Sutcliffe in support. From the next play the ball Lilley found Rob Burrow in support to outpace the Saints defence. Lilley failed to add the two leaving the game all square.

The thirty-third minutes saw the Rhinos hit the front with a great right to left passing move involving eight Leeds players and ending with Jimmy Keinhorst stepping past the last defender and going over. Lilley added the extras for a 16-10 lead.

Two minutes from the interval and Saints levelled the scores going into the interval when a low grubber from Walsh was collected by a diving Jonny Lomax who slid over for the try. Walsh kicked the two for 16-16.

On forty-six a crunching tackle by Kyle Amor on Zak Hardaker dislodged the ball right on the Leeds line allowing the Saints second rower to pick up the ball from a prone position and ground on the line. Walsh failed to add the extra two leaving his side with just a four point lead.

Three minutes after Hardaker was helped from the field Ash Handley scored a superb try when he broke the Saints line ten metres inside his own half and went sixty metres for a great solo try. Lilley added the extra two and the Rhinos were back two points in front.

In an end-to-end game the Saints struck next when Roby put in an inside switch ball to Greenwood to get his second as he pushed over some weak Leeds tackling. Walsh managed the extras for 26-22.

The lead was back to ten points on fifty-seven when Theo Fages stepped off both feet end evaded the tacklers for ten metres to cross on his back and score. Walsh kicked his easiest conversion of the game for 32-22.

On sixty-six a good run from Mitch Garbutt earned a Leeds penalty and two plays later Anthony Mullally pushed his way over to ground with three Saints tacklers in attendance. Lilley kicked the conversion for 28-32.

The result was sealed for Saints on seventy when a brilliant individual effort from Theo Fages throwing dummies and stepping past defenders to go twenty metres to outpace Kallum Watkins to score. Walsh was again accurate with the boot for 38-28.

But the Rhinos weren't finished. A Burrow break made good ground before a Sutcliffe kick to the corner was caught by Ash Handley and passed back into the hands of Jimmy Keinhorst for him to get his second. Lilley converted brilliantly for 34-38.

Under massive pressure in the final minutes the Saints defence held strong and the clock ran down to a home victory. It was a terrific game for open and expansive play with some superb tries from both sides, but both coaches will not be impressed about the defensive efforts. Saints break their home losing streak and in doing so the top eight is looking like an increasingly bleak prospect for the Rhinos.

Saints: McDonnell, Lomax (2T), Dawson, Percival, Owens, Fages (2T), Walsh (5G), Tasi, Roby, Amor (T), McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Greenwood (2T), Wilkin. Subs: Walmsley, Vea, Richards, Knowles.

Rhinos: Hardaker, Golding (T), Watkins, Keinhorst (2T), Handley (T), Lilley (5G), Burrow (T), Galloway, Falloon, Garbutt, Delaney, Ablett, Jones-Buchanan. Subs: Sutcliffe, Singleton, Achurch, Mullally (T).

Referee: Phil Bentham

Attendance: