Cool-headed Jonny Lomax snatches victory over Huddersfield

In a tight, slow game where attacking opportunities seemed hard to fashion, Saints once again built their eventual victory off the back of their aggressive defence.

It was not pretty to watch at times, with Saints backing themselves to patiently wear down the visitors.

But it was not a game that had fans racing home to watch the repeats.

It does, however, for all that propel Saints back to the Super League summit – and ultimately is a hard-won two points against a side that recently thrashed Catalans on their midden.

After tries from kicks posted by former Saints three-quarters Kevin Naiqama and Adam Swift, Tommy Makinson made amends for his miss on the latter by snatching an intercept.

That gave Saints a toe-hold in the game, and ultimately off the back of some massive defensive efforts Daryl Clark poached a try by exploiting a distracted Jake Connor at dummy half.

Locked at 12-apiece approaching the final minute, Moses Mbye’s drop goal was charged down – but with the tackle count not scrubbed it left it for skipper Jonny Lomax to nail the winner from 40 metres.

After the game Wellens said: “To win a game like is always nice and when you come out on the right side of the result.

“And obviously it was a huge play from Jonny from that moment when he received the ball, there's probably a lot of things going through his head.

“But what you've then got to do is stay calm, be composed and execute. And he did a brilliant job with that. It was a vital two points for us.

“It was not the not the best of games in terms of a spectacle, but it was probably a good game to watch live in terms of the fact that the result was always in jeopardy.

“But a great way to finish the game.”

Wellens thought that the tackle count should have been scrubbed, given the conscious effort of the Giants player to challenge Mbye’s kick.

“I was a bit confused because obviously someone flies out of the line to charge the ball down and the ball lands back in our hands and I'm thinking the referee is just going to wave the tackle count clear but that never came.

“His hand didn't go up for last tackle, until after the ball was played, which I couldn't get my head round on that either.

“So for our players to keep their cool, keep their composure in that circumstances when they haven't really got an idea what's going on speaks volumes for how the best players do handle pressure moments.”

But it had been an ugly encounter – as games against a side as industrious and workmanlike as Huddersfield often are.

And it was even harder to break out of the shackles due to the slowness of the rucks.

After a big win over a depleted Hull and an ugly win over Giants, nobody is getting the open-topped bus out despite Saints moving top.

And Wellens still wants his players to learn important aspects from pointers in the match that punished them.

“Probably my message to the team and the learn that we need to take from tonight is that we had two or three plays that we didn't get right in the first 10-12 minutes and it told on the scoreboard.

“We got beat to the punch in a few areas - we can't allow that to happen in big games moving forward.

“So, that's to learn for us, what we might not think is an important play is an important play because every play is important in the game.

“But I really like the way that from that moment on, defensively we were spot on again- a lot more like ourselves.

“We were a lot more patient with ball in hand and we adjusted a few things attack wise to try and help us.

“But with the way the game was going, it was a slow game so it was never going to be a 20-30 point game.

“It was a game where you have to win tight and we're pleased to come out on the right side of the result.”