Wakefield 10 St Helens 42: Saint Eastmond too quick for holey Trinity defence

Any theory that reaching a third successive Challenge Cup final might make St Helens' attentions stray from the business of Super League proved well wide of the mark as they chalked up their 17th win a row.

Wakefield might have been relieved to see a team sheet without Sean Long, who has a bout of the mumps, but his 19-year-old understudy, Kyle Eastmond, filled in seamlessly, with a length of the field try, a big part in two others and six goals from as many attempts.

Eastmond's coach, Daniel Anderson, is not getting carried away with him. "There's plenty of areas where he can improve, but he's on course," he said.

Eastmond will certainly face more formidable opposition during his career than yesterday's Wakefield – knocked out of their semi-final, still in with a chance of the Super League play-offs, but playing like a side whose season is over.

"The first 40 minutes were embarrassingly poor," admitted Trinity coach, John Kear. "When a team just brushes through you it's very difficult to take. There might have to be major surgery before the next game, because I'd rather play with youngsters who are enthusiastic and give their all."

Wakefield had their share of some end-to-end stuff in the opening minutes, but then saw their game fall apart as they conceded four converted tries in just over a quarter of an hour.

James Graham and Keiron Cunningham kept the ball alive for Chris Flannery to claim the first, and after Francis Meli had fumbled with a clear run to the line in front of him, young Eastmond figured prominently in the next two.

It was his pass that sent Jon Wilkin over, and then his 40/20 kick established a position from which James Roby went in from close range. Graham powered his way over for another, and after Richard Moore had conceded one of a string of penalties to put his side under pressure, the substitute Paul Clough went in from Roby's pass.

Wakefield did get one back when Danny Brough threw the ball wide to Brett Ferres, but his next attempt at a try-making pass was picked off by Eastmond, who went 90 metres for a richly deserved try, and kicked his sixth goal from the touchline.

Brad Drew scrambled in for another for Trinity at the foot of the post, but Cunningham had the last word for Saints, whose only real concern was a recurrence of Paul Sculthorpe's hamstring injury.Wakefield: Blaymire; Blanch, Demetriou, Atkins, Grix; Brough, Drew; Bibey, Obst, Sculthorpe, Ferres, MacGillivray, Golden. Substitutes used: Leo-Latu, Moore, Gleeson, Wilkes.

St Helens: Wellens; Gardner, Gidley, Gilmour, Meli; Pryce, Eastmond; Graham, Cunningham, Hargreaves, Wilkin, Flannery, Sculthorpe. Substitutes used: Roby, Cayless, Clough, Emmitt.

Referee: P Bentham (Castleford).