Saints douse Dragons' fire
St Helens booked their spot in the quarter-finals of the Challenge Cup with a 42-8 victory over the Catalans Dragons.
Last Updated: 10/05/09 6:52pm
Holders St Helens booked their spot in the quarter-finals of this season's Carnegie Challenge Cup with a resounding 42-8 victory over the Catalans Dragons.
Francis Meli, Paul Wellens and Gary Wheeler all helped themselves to two tries as Saints - who are unbeaten in the competition since 2005 - put themselves within two games of a fourth successive final appearance.
There were also tries for Paul Clough and Leon Pryce as the hosts ultimately overpowered their Super League rivals to secure a quarter-final date with Gateshead Thunder.
Saints were still not at their very best, but with Pryce pulling the strings they had more than enough to see off a Dragons side who missed the influence of captain Greg Bird.
However, the French outfit did make the better start with the returning Thomas Bosc and Adam Mogg combining well at half-back and they saw Olivier Elima's early try disallowed by referee Ben Thaler for a forward pass.
But Saints forced their way into the contest and took a stranglehold with a two-try burst in just four minutes as Wellens sent Meli over for his first try and Wheeler finished off a fine sweeping move with some clever footwork to grab his first.
But Sean Long was unable to land either conversion and it looked costly as the visitors responded to draw level.
Bosc opened their account with a penalty and then converted after second-rower Cyril Gossard crashed over.
At that stage the Dragons looked the side more likely and had chances to move ahead, but having failed to do so they fell to two sucker punches as Meli and Wheeler both touched down in the final ten minutes of the half to ensure Saints went in 18-8 to the good.
Any hope of a Catalans fightback was ended within eight minutes of the restart as Wellens was alert to claim his side's fifth try after the ball came back from prop James Graham's dive for the line.
The full-back then cut a swathe through the Dragons defence to notch his second on 53 minutes before turning provider for Clough on 67 minutes.
Pryce completed the scoring with a superb solo effort 13 minutes from time with Long converting to take his goal tally to four from seven attempts.
