St Helens' lead at the top of the engage Super League is down to just two points after they went down to their second narrow defeat in eight days.

Bradford scrum-half Paul Deacon, ignored by Great Britain earlier this week, scored a try in each half as the reigning champions found their form at last to give new coach Steve McNamara only his third win in eight matches.

The outcome was cruel on Saints full-back Paul Wellens, a deserved man of the match, but the visitors were made to pay for an indisciplined performance uncharacteristically marked by a series of handling errors.

Still reeling from their 27-26 home defeat by Hull, full-strength Saints made the perfect start, with winger Ade Gardner scoring his 14th try of the season after only three minutes.

Slick handling and passing by former Bradford second rower Lee Gilmour and Australian centre Jamie Lyon gave Gardner the opening and he easily stepped inside Marcus St Hilaire to finish decisively.

Lyon added the touchline goal to put his side 6-0 ahead but Bradford, hammered 66-4 in this fixture last June, were in no mood to roll over this time.

They thought they had scored an equalising try when scrum-half Deacon jinked his way over only for the video referee to disallow the try for an obstruction by Terry Newton on defender Jason Cayless.

However, Newton made amends with a determined burst that took him to within a couple of feet of the line and Deacon was on hand to take a suspiciously forward pass and cross for a try.

Deacon improved his try and made it 8-6 with a penalty on 17 minutes after prop Stuart Fielden had been held down in the tackle.

The Bulls would have been further ahead but for a magnificent try-saving tackle by Wellens on Lesley Vainikolo in full flight for the line.

And Wellens further underlined his immense value to the leaders when he took a slipped pass from substitute prop Nick Fozzard to score Saints' second try on 27 minutes.

St Helens winger Francis Meli was denied a try on 30 minutes because of an obstruction on Bradford skipper Iestyn Harris but they extended their lead on 32 minutes when Gilmour supported a clean break by 20-year-old front rower James Graham.

Lyon kicked his third goal and Saints would have been further ahead had Gilmour not dropped Gardner's pass with the line at his mercy.

But Saints made it hard for themselves by conceding a string of penalties for foul play and Bradford pulled a try back just before half-time to keep them well in contention, with neat handling along the line creating the space for Vainikolo to power his way over at the corner

The clever kicking game of Long kept Bradford on the back foot in the early part of the second half but the Bulls defence was back to its best and they scrambled superbly to haul down Willie Talau after Jon Wilkin made a break.

And, whenever the home side threatened, Wellens was there to provide an effective last line of defence.

The deadlock was eventually broken on 56 minutes when Newton shot away from acting half and Deacon timed his run perfectly to take his pass and score his second try.

The scrum-half also added the goal to tie the scores at 18-18 and then restored his side's lead with an angled penalty, shortly after missing from an easier position.