St Helens produced a first-half masterclass with four tries to move a step closer towards finishing top of the engage Super League for the fifth successive year.

Bottom club Celtic Crusaders, who were missing several first-choice players through injury but lacked nothing in spirit, began brightly but had no answer to their hosts' superior class.

Leon Pryce was pivotal in the opening two scores, created for Lee Gilmour and Paul Wellens, before hulking prop Tony Puletua stepped off the bench to add a third shortly before the half-hour mark.

Matt Gidley crossed in the right corner shortly before the interval hooter and Sean Long converted all four scores to put his side 24-0 up and out of sight.

Rookie centre Chris Dean claimed a fifth try with six minutes remaining, which Long again converted, but Celtic emerged with much credit after reducing Saints to a largely frustrating second half.

Yet the Welshmen, controversially awarded a three-year Super League licence at the expense of traditional heartland clubs such as Widnes and Leigh, had long since surrendered the points after Saints ran riot in the opening period.

Celtic were actually the more purposeful side in the opening exchanges but they could not make their pressure pay and were outclassed in the 16th minute.

Pryce collected Long's rapier-like pass and produced a smart offload to send Gilmour powering clear from 10 metres out.

Moments later another piece of magic from Pryce saw him break the visitors' line and send Wellens scampering over the line on the overlap.

The full-back dived over the line and just managed to evade the desperate attempts of Ste Tyrer - his St Helens team-mate currently on loan at Celtic - whose efforts proved in vain.

The hosts began to turn the screw and extended their lead in the 28th minute when James Roby and Long combined to tee up Puletua to power his way over the line.

And it came as no surprise when Gidley found the space to squeeze in at the corner for a fourth score which Long converted with aplomb.

The second half was a scrappy affair and both sides struggled to complete their sets, ensuring tryscoring opportunities were at a premium.

St Helens should have have their fifth try two minutes after the break but Ade Gardner knocked on horribly with the line at this mercy.

It was indicative of the malaise which developed but the Crusaders showed admirable spirit to reduce Saints to so few genuine chances.

However, Saints finally had their fifth score in the 74th minute when Dean showed impressive strength to burrow his way over in the left corner and Long again converted in style from the touchline.