SPEEDY prop Mark Edmondson joked that he 'felt like Tommy Martyn' after helping himself to a hat-trick of tries in Saints' first real blow-out of the season at a rain-lashed Widnes.

On three occasions the alert front rower was the first to react to the well-placed skidding grubbers behind the line, with the final one proving to be the match clincher.

This promises to be a big season for the strong-running, mobile prop, who is likely to benefit from the addition of heavyweight Paul Anderson into Saints' front row ranks this term.

Edmondson quipped: "I reckon Ian Millward might want to change his predictions for top try scorer after that!

"I am feeling great at the minute - and looking forward to getting stuck into the season. The new signings mean there will be plenty of competition for places in the front row."

The atrocious conditions - driving rain, swirling wind and the biting cold - made handling difficult and reduced the game as a spectacle for the 3,872 crowd.

The dire weather probably had Saints' new recruit Jamie Lyon wishing the he was back home in New South Wales.

Although the soggy conditions underfoot prevented the Australian Test centre really roaring into action on his debut, there were obvious signs of Lyon's class in both attack and defence which will no doubt become more apparent as the pitches get firmer.

It was business as usual for Saints' skipper Paul Sculthorpe and Paul Wellens, barely seven weeks after their 2004 season came to a close with the Tri-Nations Final.

And with the opening quarter's exchanges being scrappy, and pointless, Sculthorpe took a firm grip on the tiller to steer Saints into a 12-0 lead at the break.

After good work from the impressive James Roby, Sculthorpe purposefully strode over to open Saints' account on 20 minutes and then Edmondson bagged his first 11 minutes later when he touched down.

Saints would have had a third shortly afterwards if Wellens, who had been sent through the hole by an exquisite Sculthorpe pass, had spotted Mike Bennett racing up on his left hand shoulder.

Had coach Millward left Sculthorpe on to run the game after the break, it is highly likely Saints would have racked up more points.

Instead Millward chose to run the rule over more of his fringe players, and allowed them to show their creativity.

Darren Albert and Wellens also came off at the break, with Widnes making a game of it in the second half with Sala Fa'alogo going through some weak tackling for their opener.

Edmondson restored the 12-point cushion when he touched down another grubber from close range.

But two tries from the Chemics threw the game back into the melting pot - and at least added some excitement to the proceedings.

The first came courtesy of former Saint Steve Rowlands, who raced onto Owen Craigie's kick to beat Dom Feaunati to touch down in the corner. Rowlands then slotted over the touchline conversion.

Aaron Moule's converted try levelled matters, but Edmondson popped up for his hat-trick touching down Roby's grubber to snatch the derby spoils.

Widnes: Connolly; Manu, Moule, Moule, Emilio, Rowlands; Craigie, Hulse; O'Connor, Craigie, Hulse; O'Connor, Millard, Mills, Cassidy, Stankevitch, Frame.

Subs: Holmes, O'Neill, Whittaker, Bibey, Fa'alogo, Nash, Smith, Whittle.

Saints: Wellens; Albert, Lyon, Viane, Gardner; Sculthorpe, Roby; Anderson, Higham, Edmondson, Fa'asavalu, Graham, Bennett.

Subs: Fozzard, Clough, Feaunati, Hardman, Forber, Smith, Matty Smith, Moore.

Ref: Karl Kirkpatrick.