OUT-enthused, out-thought and out-fought – a pretty damning verdict on Saints’ worst performance for a good while in going down to a 44-10 defeat at Salford.

The difference between the side’s respective attitudes shone through on both sides of the ball with Saints failing to rise to the tempo set by the Red Devils.

And if the truly awful night at the AJ Bell they could not get any worse they lost centre Mark Percival with a serious looking leg injury in the second half.

Salford were up for it from the word go and got off to off to a blistering start from which Saints never recovered.

The hosts rattled in three tries in the first 11 minutes, and full-back Jack Owens will be watching the review through the fingers of his hands.

After Owens had spilled a high ball impressive scrum-half Michael Dobson chipped wide for winger Greg Johnson to cross for the first.

Salford seemed to be able to penetrate the Saints line at will and it was just too easy for prop Craig Kopczak to power over from close range.

The towel was more or less thrown in when stand off Robert Lui danced over straight from the scrum for Salford’s third.

St Helens Star:

As the team grouped behind the posts former Saints captain Paul Wellens, who is now on the coaching staff, could be seen giving out a massive dressing down.

Although introduction of prop Alex Walmsley from the bench pepped them up with his first two carries, the second of which saw him power through to touch down.

Luke Walsh, who had a quiet night, playing on the back foot, slotted the goal to cut the deficit to 18-6.

Any hopes that this could give Saints a toe-hold and a chance to try and arrest the Salford momentum were soon shattered.

First a Dobson penalty midway through the first half restored a three-score lead but then Saints’ lethargic defence went to pieces in the closing last 10 minutes of the first half.

Adam Swift dashed through the middle, piercing the Salford line but just losing his footing as he tried to round the full back.

Salford countered quickly and it took a big chase back from Walmsley to foil a breakaway score.

However, from the next phase Walsh was sin-binned for holding down and Salford made their numerical advantage count.

Saints’ defence on the left edge was completely bamboozled with Niall Evalds brushing off Swift’s challenge for a try and then the dazzling Lui out-foxed the would-be tacklers for another.

Saints had a mountain to climb, trailing 32-6, and any hope of a fightback were snuffed out within two minutes of the restart when stand-in hooker Morgan Knowles threw a forward pass and from the next set it was like taking sweets from a baby when Salford forward Adam Walne stretched over for their seventh try.

Dobson, who has tormented Saints at most of his previous clubs, dummied and then went through to make it 40-6.

Swift collected Jon Wilkin’s long ball to pull a try back for the visitors, but that was too little too late – the extensive damage had been done, Salford had all the aces and a night which saw them constantly driving Saints back in the tackle was complemented by the sort of inventive and flowing rugby that left the travelling fans mystified.

The Red Devils had the last word when Evalds was first to a grubber kick from Lui to score his second.

Although focus will be on the selection of players out of position, with Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook in the centres and Morgan Knowles jumping in at nine, they were not factors in this defeat.

Poor line speed, sloppy handling, dropped passes and letting the ball bounce from kicks all contributed to a dreadful evening that should give them a jolt.

And a trait Saints are seriously going to have to get rid of, it is the heads dropping after a bad call, dropped ball or penalty.

Saints reacted badly every time something went wrong - and that showed on the scoreboard.