Saints 32 Gateshead Thunder 36 SAINTS' slender top-spot hopes lay in ruins and runners-up place in jeopardy as Thunder roared to a cliff-hanging but deserved victory at shell-shocked Knowsley Road on Sunday.

Ending of an eight-match winning run spelled a triumphant return for Gateshead and former Saints' coach Shaun McRae.

Saints' options were severely disrupted in the13th minute when scrum-half Sean Long was taken off with a sprung shoulder which will sideline him for six weeks.

With both teams scoring six tries goal-kicking had a crucial bearing on Saints third home defeat of the season, with Thunder marksman Ian Herron converting the lot to keep his side's play-off hopes alive while Tommy Martyn, who had switched to scrum-half, could manage only four from seven attempts.

Several 'big name' Saints had an off-day, with the notable exception being captain Chris Joynt - a landslide choice as man-of-the-match - while other worthwhile contributions in a disappointing display came from Chris Smith, Paul Davidson, Sonny Nickle and Apollo Perelini.

Saints could also plead they enjoyed little rub-of-the-green, with Smith denied a try by the video replay; Freddie Tuilagi was unwittingly obstructed by referee Smith as he attempted to prevent Peters' touchdown, while controversy raged when Thunder were given head-and-ball from which they scored their last-gasp winner.

McRae's Australian line-up served early notice that they hadn't just come for the ride in snatching a fifth minute lead when Walters and Deon Bird sent Matt Daylight over, but Saints quickly responded when Joynt strode through from 30 yards as the stricken Long was taken off. But a Gateshead ever-ready to off-load the ball moved into a 12-4 advantage with Craig Wilson and Robinson making the running for Mick Jenkins to touch down, before stand-in stand-off Paul Sculthorpe's convincing dummy saw him hare through for a superb solo try.

Perelini had a 'score' disallowed, but Saints got on terms when Smith's rousing interception opened the way for Keiron Cunningham to send Paul Newlove over, and Martyn then landed a penalty to give Saints a 14-12 lead after Jenkins was guilty of holding down.

Optimism appeared justified when a glorious move involving Martyn, Perelini and Tuilagi put Joynt in for his second six-pointer, but with Nickle and Daylight now in the sin-bin Thunder rocketed back into contention when Jenkins scored on the stroke of half-time.

Holding down saw Jenkins shown the yellow card and on the restart before a great break by Davidson came to nought when Perelini's pass to Kevin Iro was ruled forward, and Gateshead inched into 24-20 initiative after the wily Walters sent Peterthrough, with the hapless Tuilagi left stranded.

Alarm bells were ringing when - with Bird in the sin-bin - Robinson 'made' a try for David Maiden, but masters of suspense Saints contrived a nail-biting finish when Nickle, Martyn and Smith fashioned a second try by Newlove, with Martyn converting both

And fully 74 minutes had ticked by when Saints regained the lead in dramatic manner when Sculthorpe's suspiciously-forward pass saw Martyn edge his side into a 32-30 lead, but justice was arguably done when Bird notched an equally dubious clincher.

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