Super League: St Helens 26-4 Hull Kingston Rovers

Ben Barba has scored 19 tries in Super League this season - four better than his nearest rival, team-mate Mark Percival

Super League leaders St Helens claimed their eighth straight win despite not being at their best against Hull KR.

Just five days on from beating holders Hull FC in a classic Challenge Cup quarter-final, Saints led 18-0 at the break after converted tries from Ryan Morgan, James Roby and Ben Barba.

But Junior Vaivai then pulled one back for relegation battlers Rovers.

Mark Percival then got on the end of a kick to score before top scorer Barba's second try with a late breakaway.

• Leeds Rhinos 18-25 Huddersfield Giants

• Warrington Wolves 30-34 Castleford Tigers

• Hull 45-14 Salford

Saints go six points clear of second-placed Wigan, who lost on Thursday night at Wakefield.

Justin Holbrook's side, who have already secured their place in the top eight, opened the scoring after just 90 seconds, led 12-0 inside eight minutes and were never in trouble.

While 19-try Super League top scorer Barba took his total haul to 22 for the season, even more admirable was long-serving hooker Roby's first-half score which took him to a career century of tries in his 15th season with the club.

Rovers remain second from bottom, now five points clear of guaranteed safety thanks to Huddersfield's victory at Leeds.

St Helens coach Justin Holbrook:

"We came off a tough game on Sunday against Hull FC in the Challenge Cup and this was always going to be a test.

"The game got a bit scrappy at the end but, all in all, I was pleased we won.

"We were in control the whole time and we should have taken a few more chances. We had a few disallowed."

Hull KR coach Tim Sheens:

"We had nine sets when we dropped it on the third tackle or earlier - that's a lot of field position to give up.

"We settled the waters but we were in damage control. I can never fault the players for effort but we have got a lot to fix up.

"Saints were too classy for us but we scrambled hard to hold on. Everyone is trying. We have got a good morale."

St Helens: Barba; Makinson, Morgan, Percival, Grace; Fages, Richardson; Amor, Roby, Thompson, Peyroux, Taia, McCarthy-Scarsbrook.

Interchanges: Smith, Douglas, Knowles, Lees.

Hull KR: Quinlan; Shaw, Salter, Vaivai, Wallis; Marsh, Blair; Johnson, Cator, Greenwood, Clarkson, Tickle, Donaldson.

Interchanges: Scruton, Masoe, Kavanagh, Atkin.

Referee: Gareth Hewer (RFL).