FIT-AGAIN Alex Walmsley did something his Saints head coach Paul Wellens would not usually advocate during the win against Salford Red Devils on Thursday night but it all worked out well in the end.

England prop Walmsley was spelled off the bench in his first game for four months following a hamstring problem and knee surgery.

And he played his part in a thrilling last-gasp golden-point extra-time victory, including two powerful drives with the ball in the last set of the game to establish a good enough field position for Moses Mbye to kick the all-important drop goal.

“In crucial moments in big games, that’s when your big players tend to step up,” said Wellens.

“I thought getting Alex on at the back end of that game was important because he can win you back metres.

“There was always going to be a situation where we needed people who could get us in good field position and Alex does that as well as anyone.

“I’m not someone who would normally, in the run of the game, be happy with middles taking two carries in a set because that would usually impact on their defensive work.

“But in Alex’s case at the back end of the game I’m prepared to make an exception.

“I wasn’t too sure about it when he went in at dummy-half for one of those carries but he was effective.

“It was about – in that game – getting down the field, going forward and giving ourselves a chance, so we managed to do that and that’s huge congratulations to the players for the way they handled it.”

Wellens added: “It was great to have Alex out there again.

“I didn’t go into the game expecting too much from him because he’s been out for such a long period.

“But as he normally does when he’s on the field, he impacts the game in a positive way.

“He’s hard to handle, carries the ball really strongly and generates some ruck speed for us.

“It’s great to have him back and hopefully he can stay out on the field and be with us now until the end of the season.”