St Helens stayed in touch at the top of the engage Super League after an eight-try mauling of sorry Salford at Knowsley Road.

Saints, for whom Kiwi second row Vinnie Anderson made his debut, were 36-0 up at half-time thanks largely to the superb three-quarter play of Australian duo Darren Albert and Jamie Lyon.

Paul Sculthorpe, who along with Sean Long returned to the Saints line-up from injury, had an immaculate kicking game, with seven successful conversions from eight attempts.

Salford, missing in-form Karl Fitzpatrick and Ian Sibbit through injury, improved after the break and registered tries through Simon Baldwin and Malcolm Alker, but a further try from Keiron Cunningham snuffed out any thoughts of an unlikely comeback.

The writing was on the wall for the Reds as early as the second minute when Luke Robinson's drop-out went out on the full and Lyon registered his first try from the resulting set of six, touching down Long's kick.

Salford then had a spell of pressure around Saints' try line, scrum half Robinson looking particularly dangerous as the Reds forced two consecutive drop outs.

But it was Saints who extended their lead after another Salford error, captain Malcolm Alker knocking on on his own '22'.

From the resulting scrum, Willie Talau took Micky Higham's short pass to go in under the posts and Sculthorpe's conversion made it 12-0.

A rampant Saints scored their third with a superb try from Paul Anderson six minutes later. The big prop barged his way through two would-be tacklers before setting Lee Gilmour away, who combined with Long before putting Anderson in for a simple four points.

Shell-shocked Salford found themselves 24-0 down in as many minutes when Albert took advantage of a spill from Cliff Beverley to score in the corner.

Albert left Salford's defence for dead down the right five minutes later and gave an inside pass to the superb Lyon, who had managed to keep up with the speedy winger.

Long got in on the act just before half time, touching down in the corner after more magical play from Lyon - and Saints went into the break with an unassailable lead.

Saints showed no signs of easing up after the interval, winger Ade Gardner scoring his first - and Saints' seventh - try as he forced his way past two Salford defenders in the corner.

Sculthorpe missed his first conversion of the evening but Saints had broke the 40-point barrier.

Karl Harrison's side finally got on the scoresheet with 54 minutes gone, substitute Simon Baldwin reacting quickest after Gilmour had spilled former Saints winger Anthony Stewart's inside pass. Chris Charles added a simple conversion.

And Salford grabbed another try four minutes later, Alker bursting through a big hole in the Saints' defence for a try which was converted by Stuart Dickens.

But any chance of a comeback was extinguished when Cunningham barged his way over 10 minutes from time to complete a fantastic display from the Challenge Cup holders.