SAINTS effectively wrapped up the League Leaders Shield with a gutsy win over the battling Wildcats - an achievement seems to have been largely overlooked by sections of the media transfixed with the relegation battle.

Although the league table suggested a straightforward tussle, Wakefield have been a different proposition under coach John Kear and they sensed that Saints might be jaded from their Twickenham endeavours.

They were partly right - with Saints without injured cup winners Willie Talau, Jason Cayless and Jon Wilkin - and were obviously struggling to lift themselves after the emotional highs of the previous week. But that only lasted 20 minutes or so, a period which saw the visitors dominate and be rewarded with a six-point lead.

That deficit, courtesy of a Jamie Rooney penalty and Jason Demetriou try, would have been wider but for Saints magnificent scrambling defence in that spell - a feature that remained constant.

Trinity, with clever halves Ben Jeffries and Rooney pulling the strings, had the ability to open Saints up, but just when the line seemed begging a red and white figure would appear to smother the half chance, sometimes inches from the line.

It says a lot about the spirit of Daniel Anderson's men that they could keep out a robust Trinity team whose members are really battling for their livelihoods and are not yet resigned to the drop.

Saints also had to overcome the early loss of two forwards in the opening 15 minutes, with Paul Sculthorpe and Nick Fozzard leaving the field.

Although Fozzard was left in a crumpled heap following a collision and needed to be carried off on a stretcher with injuries resembling 'whiplash', Sculthorpe's precautionary departure after feeling no power in his leg caused most concern.

Once again it raises questions about the skipper's fitness as we approach the business end of the season.

However, the leaders were able to regroup, stick to their guns and were rewarded on 23 minutes when Keiron Cunningham scuttled from dummy half, with his flat pass sending Jamie Lyon through the hole. As usual full back Paul Wellens was up in support to take the scoring pass.

The beauty of Saints play this term is that they don't have to dominate a game to punish sides - and give them half a chance to steal a game and they will. Four minutes from the break Sean Long broke to send Paul Anderson hurtling through, and doing his very best impression of a centre, he drew the last man to push a perfectly timed pass to Lyon who romped in for another touchdown.

It was a formality for Lyon - but nevertheless it was his 43rd try in 59 appearances, a phenomenal strike record for the soon to depart Aussie ace.

Makeshift centre Lee Gilmour, pressed into service due to the absence of Talau, then forced his way over in the corner from a long pass by Leon Pryce.

Saints had a ten-point cushion, somewhat against the run of play, but Wakefield refused to buckle and in their own inimitable way gave the cup holders a rough ride.

With David Solomona in the thick of the action, Trinity pressed but some desperate defence nailed hooker Sam Obst on the line.

However, moments later big prop Adam Watene forced his way over from close range, converted by Rooney to cut the deficit to four points.

It was all to play for - but Saints had the extra class to pluck that instant big play out of the bag. Last week's star man Long was again the architect with Ade Gardner climbing to catch the finely placed kick wide to wrestle over the line.

Trinity still had a fighting chance but blew it 16 minutes from time when Greek international prop Michael Korkidas took that literally.

Tackled, he took exception to what he thought was Lyon's lying on, and put his head into the centre's already bandaged face.

The touch judge made what is now a rare foray onto the pitch and Korkidas was red carded.

That folly meant it was game over as a minute later Leon Pryce bustled over from close range, with a Lyon penalty and another try in the corner from Gardner wrapping up the points and effectively top spot.

Saints: Wellens; Gardner, Lyon, Gilmour, Meli; Pryce, Long; Fozzard, Cunningham, P. Anderson, Sculthorpe, V. Anderson, Hooper. Subs: Roby, Graham, Fa'asavalu, Bennett.

Wakefield: Halpenny; Demetriou, Evans, Atkins, Tadulala; Rooney, Jeffries; Korkidas, Obst, Watene, Henderson, Solomona, Betham. Subs: Mark Field, Elima, Latu, March.

Star man: Paul Wellens