Super League: St Helens 31-10 Hull FC

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Two tries apiece from Jack Owens and Atelea Vea pushed St Helens to a 31-10 win over Challenge Cup champions Hull FC

Two tries apiece from Jack Owens and Atelea Vea pushed St Helens to a 31-10 win over Challenge Cup champions Hull FC.

Winger Owens scored 18 points with two tries and five goals as Saints took another step towards clinching a semi-final spot.

With an eye on the matches games to come and after the weekend's exertions Lee Radford had rung the changes for the Super League leaders with the likes of Gareth Ellis, Danny Houghton and Marc Sneyd all watching on.

Early on the visitors looked anything but a weakened team as they took charge of possession and centre Mahe Fonua caught Saints napping to score the opening try after just four minutes.

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Reaction from both camps as St Helens beat Hull FC 31-10 in the Super League

Saints were missing experienced playmaker Luke Walsh but full-back Jonny Lomax came up with two acts of class to get Owens and centre Matty Fleming over for two quick tries early in the second quarter.

The two scores meant that it was the hosts that took a narrow 10-6 lead at the break.

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St Helens' Kyle Amor looks back on his side's victory over Hull FC

Saints were livelier in the second half but were finding it challenging to pull clear of their opponents.  

It took the power of Atelea Vea to take Jordan Turner's pass and crash through the attempted tackle of Danny Washbrook and Chris Green to get Saints' second try of the evening.  

St Helens Jack Owens kept their points tally ticking all night at Langtree Park

Owens' conversion made it 16-6 but St Helens conceded a drop-out by failing to secure the restart and second rower Sika Manu pulled a try back .

When Hull FC prop Liam Watts was judged to have stolen the ball illegally, Saints took their chance and re-established a two-score lead with an Owens penalty.

St Helens were indebted to winger Adam Swift, who marked his 100th appearance with a try-saving tackle that denied Michaels on 66 minutes and then took play to the other end of the field with a solo break.

The try was delivered by Vea who was the first to reach James Roby's grubber kick and Owens kicked his fourth goal.

Turner then made sure of the win with a drop goal before Owens rounded off the scoring four minutes from the time by converting his second try.