'Best defending in some time': Wellens

ST Helens head coach Paul Wellens saluted the spirit of his resurgent side after Owen Dagnall’s early try proved enough to sink Leeds 6-0 at Headingley and send them up to third in the Betfred Super League table.

- By MARK STANIFORTH

Having faced adversity so many times this season, Wellens’ men dug deep to overcome the first-half losses of Daryl Clark and Jake Burns plus a late sin-bin for Agnatius Paasi to claim their fifth win in a row.

“It was as good a defensive performance as I’ve seen in a long time from any team,” said Wellens (pictured), whose position has looked under serious threat on a number of occasions this season. “Particularly playing against a strong and dangerous outfit with so many individuals. If you throw into that the 25 degree heat and the necessity to keep turning up, it was there in abundance.”