Phil Kinsella
BBC Radio Merseyside Sport

Salford's defensive performance has been fantastic.

Where has it come from? It's not been on show all season.

Luke Adamson
Former Salford player on BBC Radio Manchester

Salford have got to be buoyed by this at the moment.

This is really good, really good energy levels.

We're back under way and St Helens make a good few metres no sooner does referee Chris Kendall wave play on.

We're approaching the final 20 minutes, now.

Chris Atkin is off for two minutes having been shown a green card.

He's not off for a head injury assessment, but should miss the Grand Final should Salford progress.

Play is eventually stopped to bring the medical team on to have a look at Chris Atkin.

Hopefully he's OK.

Chris Atkin's had a hard game today.

The Salford man is now clattered into by Sione Mata'utia off the ball.

Phil Kinsella
BBC Radio Merseyside Sport

Saints have had a lot of pressure but they haven't turned that into points.

That drop-goal from Jonny Lomax came at the right time as St Helens have yet to pad out their advantage.

Salford are working back into this second half. A big end to this encounter is on the cards.

Matty Lees looks to go over but he's held up for a double movement!

So, so close for St Helens. But Salford survive that attack, just.

From the restart, again, St Helens win another set of six. Salford are just about hanging on at the minute.

Saints are agonisingly close but Salford are swarming them every time they get anywhere near the line.

Jonny Lomax is having a cracker of a game. He looks to go direct to the line from the restart but Marc Sneyd puts in a high arm on his face.

The home fans aren't happy with that, but St Helens win a penalty for their troubles.

Jonny Lomax plays another belter of a grubber kick in towards goal as St Helens keep pressing.

Sione Mata'utia misses the chance to touch down as Salford survive, but soon after the restart, Amir Bourouh knocks on and Saints win another set of six within 20 metres.

Great stuff from Curtis Sironen as he looks to bolster his way through to score St Helens' third try of the game.

But he's succesfully held up and Salford eventually regain possession on the turnover.

Big tackle from Jonny Lomax to force Salford into a knock-on deep inside their own half.

A scrum follows and St Helens press upfield. Good stuff from the hosts.

Marc Sneyd tries an audacious 40-20 kick but he's inches away from being successful.

A lively and confident start from Salford.

St Helens get the second half under way.

40 minutes to go. 40 minutes from a possible fourth consecutive Super League Grand Final.

Or are Salford going to upset the party?

Huddersfield's play-off bid may have been abruptly ended by Salford last weekend, but they're building for next year by signing New Zealand centre Esan Marsters from NRL team Gold Coast Titans.

He has played 85 times in the NRL for three different clubs, scoring 22 tries and kicking 96 goals, and he has won six caps for the Kiwis.

Luke Adamson
Former Salford player on BBC Radio Manchester

I don't think Salford knew what were coming at them early on.

Saints scored two early tries and could've had more.

Salford only had one set in Saints' 22 zone and they scored - so they'll take confidence from that.

Image source, SWPix.com

All over at the break and Jonny Lomax's last-ditch drop-goal has given St Helens a seven-point advantage over Salford.

Joe Batchelor's double put Saints in control but Morgan Knowles' sin bin let Salford in to halve the deficit.

A big 40 minutes awaits.