Langtree Park was the venue as St Helens looked to secure their top four spot and finally close the door on the chasing Catalans Dragons. A win by fifteen points or more would see them into third, ahead or arch rivals Wigan Warriors.

With no chance of a top four finish, the Castleford Tigers were playing mostly for pride, but a win tonight would see them climb into fifth spot ahead of the Dragons before of their trip to Wakefield on Friday night.

Saints have been victorious in both games between the two sides this season and were be looking to build upon last weekends big win over Challenge Cup winners, Hull FC.

It was an amazing start for the Tigers who scored within 100 seconds of receiving the kick-off. They threw the ball around on the first tackle and after benefitting from two quick penalties a long pass found Luke Dorn to go through a gaping hole in the Saints defence to score. Luke Gale added the conversion for 6-0 before Saints had touched the ball.

On five minutes Saints struck back when a Jon Wilkin kick was caught and passed back by Adam Swift into the hands of Matthew Fleming to score in the corner. Luke Walsh kicked the extras from the touchline to level the scores.

On sixteen the Tigers went back on front thanks to a loping pass from Luke Dorn who found Ryan Hampshire to go over in the corner on the overlap. Luke Gale failed to add the conversion, pushing the ball across the front of the sticks. It was an end to end game with both sides almost reckless in giving the ball air.

A minute before the half hour and Morgan Knowles levelled the scores at 10-10 when he took a Luke Walsh pass, was dragged over the line on his back, but was able to ground the ball. Luke Walsh added the extras and Saints were in the lead for the first time in the game.

Three minutes later and Kyle Amor made the most of an awful dropped ball by Luke Dorn as he pushed through four Tigers tacklers to cross by the uprights. Walsh was again accurate with the boot for 18-10.

Just when Castleford needed to dig deep, Rangi Chase hit the self-destruct button when he tripped a Saints player in back play and saw the yellow card of Smith. Within seconds Luke Thompson found his way over the line for a simple try. Walsh kicked the conversion and Saints were in full control at 24-10 as the sides went into the interval.

It took twenty minutes of the second half for the first score, a Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook full length diving grounding of a Jon Wilkin grubber. Walsh kicked the goal for 30-10 and it was game over. Now it was all about the winning margin.

On seventy-two Adam Swift scored Saints sixth of the night when they used two tackles to break eighty metres and find the winger in space to dive over in the corner. Walsh hit the upright with his kick, missing his first of the night.

Three minutes from time and Will Maher got a consolation try, despite there looking to have been a forward pass from Jake Webster. Luke Gale kicked the conversion for 34-16 but it was too little, too late.

Right on the final hooter Alex Walmsley went over by the sticks after handing off two Tigers tacklers in a ten metre run. Jack Owens kicked the conversion for a twenty-six point win at 40-16.

Despite shining for the opening twenty minutes, the Tigers were a poor second for the rest of the game as Saints found their composure and forced the visitors to make error after error. The Tigers picked up more injuries in an injury-dogged season and a professional Saints performance sees them secure in the play-offs and up to third spot in the table.

Saints: Lomax, Owens (G), Fleming (T), Peyroux, Swift (T), Turner, Walsh (5G), Richards, Roby, Walmsley (T), Wilkin, Greenwood, McCarthy-Scarsbrook (T). Subs: Amor (T), Vea, Thompson (T), Knowles (T).

Tigers: Dorn (T), Hampshire (T), Crooks, Minikin, Solomona, Chase (SB), Gale (2G), Cook, McShane, Patrick, Webster, Moors, Milner. Subs: Maher (T), Fitzsimmons, Flynn, Douglas.

Referee: Jack Smith.

Attendance: