Tommy Makinson stars as St Helens defeat battling Widnes

Tommy Makinson: Scored one try and created another against Widnes

Tommy Makinson stole the show as St Helens ended a run of one win in five Super League matches with a 34-16 triumph over Widnes at Langtree Park.

Full-back Makinson scored a spectacular long-range try to seal the win eight minutes from time and also set up another touchdown for youngster Matty Fleming.

Luke Walsh, making his first start of the season after breaking his leg last July, showed what Saints have been missing by scoring a try and creating two others for Travis Burns and Alex Walmsley.

Widnes went into the clash having won only once on their last 12 visits to their neighbours - and that jinx continued despite a battling effort.

Saints were on the attack from the start, with Widnes doing well to keep out the rampaging Mose Masoe, while Vikings full-back Rhys Hanbury dealt competently with the hosts’ aerial threat.

The Vikings' solid defence stood up to the test and Widnes then rocked Saints by snatching a 22nd-minute lead when Kevin Brown sold Walmsley a dummy to stroll over unopposed, with Jack Owens tagging on the conversion.

But Saints levelled five minutes later when Walsh intercepted a Manase Manuokafoa pass to dart 25 metres, before Walsh sent Burns crashing over for his first try for the club to make it 12-6 on the half-hour mark.

Scorching

Widnes refused to lie down and Mellor replied with a scorching try just before the break after taking a pass from Aaron Heremaia to shoot through a gap, and Owens converted to level the scores at 12-12 at the break.

Neither side could take control early in the second half until Walmsley took Walsh's pass to bulldoze over after 53 minutes and stretch the advantage to 18-12.

Then Makinson pulled off a try-saving tackle on Matt Whitley before Saints had a Jordan Turner touchdown disallowed.

But Matt Whitley was not to be denied after 62 minutes when he took Kevin Brown's short pass to charge over for an unconverted try.

Makinson ripped Widnes apart up the middle with an electrifying run for Fleming to notch his first senior try with 15 minutes left, and he sealed the win when he collected a kick to race 80 metres for a spectacular try eight minutes from time.

Mark Percival celebrated his return with the sixth and final try in the last minute as Saints added 16 points in the last 15 minutes.