Super League: St Helens 38-2 Huddersfield Giants

Tommy Makinson returned after missing St Helens' loss to London Broncos last time out

Tommy Makinson scored a hat-trick on his 200th Super League appearance as leaders St Helens returned to winning ways by beating lowly Huddersfield.

Saints moved clear in the first half, running in five tries after conceding their only points in the third minute.

Makinson and Jonny Lomax, who went over twice, were recalled after Saints' surprise defeat at London Broncos.

Lachlan Coote and Theo Fages also scored for St Helens, who took their foot off the gas in the closing stages.

Justin Holbrook's side moved six points clear at the top - ahead of second-placed Warrington's trip to Hull KR on Saturday - while Huddersfield now stand ninth in the table.

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The Giants - without injured England winger Jermaine McGillvary - were first on the scoresheet when Oliver Russell kicked two points after the hosts conceded an early penalty.

But three Saints scores in seven minutes essentially took the game beyond the visitors, as Lomax claimed his 100th try for the club, quickly followed by his 101st.

Aaron Smith deputised for St Helens skipper James Roby, who is out for four weeks with a groin problem.

As well as getting a try himself, full-back Coote set up a further four - including all three of Makinson's efforts.

St Helens coach Justin Holbrook:

"It was very good tonight from everybody and great to watch.

"We had seven players back who didn't play last week (at London) and one of those was Tommy Makinson, who got a hat-trick and had an awesome game.

"Huddersfield have been as good as every other side in the competition for the past three or four weeks and they won't be happy tonight but I expect them to bounce back."

Huddersfield coach Simon Woolford:

"We just weren't good enough. It was men versus boys tonight. It was not that much of a surprise.

"Saints are a fantastic team and comparing their line speed to ours is like chalk and cheese.

"Most of their tries came on the back of us not doing a good enough job defensively and they rolled through us. We came ready but we just couldn't compete."

St Helens: Coote, Makinson, Naiqama, Percival, Swift, Lomax, Fages, Thompson, Smith, Walmsley, Knowles, Z Taia, Paulo.

Interchanges: McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Amor, Ashworth, Bentley.

Huddersfield: McIntosh, Young, Turner, J Wardle, I Senior, Gaskell, Russell, English, O'Brien, Matagi, Hewitt, Mellor, Murphy.

Interchanges: Frawley, Clough, Lawrence, Ta'ai.