Pat Richards kicked a second-half penalty that ultimately grabbed Wigan one point, meaning they avoid finishing sixth.

It also ended a poor run against their arch-rivals - Wigan had won only one of their last 13 derbies, and this year they have been on the receiving end of three punishing defeats.

It was a tense and thrilling derby, with both teams putting in strong efforts. For Wigan, Stuart Fielden and George Carmont in particular impressed.

Wigan led 14-6 early in the second-half but Saints roared back with two unanswered tries to take a slender, 16-14, lead.
In a nerve-shredding second-half, Richards equalised through a penalty but neither side could find the clinching and deciding score.

Tries by George Carmont and Joel Tomkins made it 12-0 before Saints pegged back the deficit with a Matt Gidley try just before half-time, making it 12-6.

After an exciting but error-strewn opening quarter which saw James Graham sin-binned for his part in a skirmish with Iafeta Paleaaesina, Wigan went ahead in the 26th minute.

Carmont sliced through the Saints defence and powered past Paul Wellens, Pat Richards kicking the extras to make it 6-0.

And three minutes later, the Warriors doubled their lead when a magnificently-timed pass by Trent Barrett allowed Tomkins to charge over, Richards making it 12-0.

Saints hit back and in the 32nd minute, Francis Meli chased a Sean Long grubber kick but Cameron Phelps just beat his opposite winger to the ball.

But the home side continued to pressure the Wigan line and eventually they broke through when Gidley dived over in the corner, the video referee awarding the try through the benefit of the doubt. Sean Long kicked the sideline conversion on the stroke of half-time.

Richards kicked a 42nd minute penalty to make it 14-6 to Wigan, but 10 minutes later Ade Gardner crossed for a try that Long converted to close the gap to two points.

And Saints went ahead for the first time just before the hour mark as Gidley grabbed his second which Long couldn't convert, giving the home side a 16-14 advantage.

Video referee Ian Smith ruled out a Francis Meli try for a double movement, and in the 72nd minute Richards struck a penalty from 35m out to draw the scores level 16-16.

With five minutes to go and with Wigan seemingly shaping for Richards to strike a drop-goal, Andy Coley spilled the ball on the 40m line.

At the other end of the pitch, Micky Higham raced out of the defensive line to pressure Long and prevent him hitting a match-winning one-pointer.

The action continued to swing from end to end, Richards pushing a drop-goal wide with two minutes remaining.

The draw ensured Saints finished as league leaders for a fourth successive year. They will face second-placed Leeds for one spot in the Grand Final, with the other eventually going to either the runner-up of that match or Wigan, Bradford, Catalans or Warrington.

St Helens: Wellens; Gardner, Gidley, Talau, Meli; Roby, Long; Fozzard, Cunningham, Graham, Gilmour, Flannery, Wilkin. Subs: Hargreaves, Clough, Fa'asavalu, Eastmond.

Wigan: Mathers; Phelps, Goulding, Carmont, Richards; Barrett, Leuluai; Fielden, Higham, Coley, Hansen, Bailey, Tomkins. Subs: Paleaaesina, Colbon, Prescott, Smith.

For a full match report read Saturday's Wigan Evening Post, and for reaction and a full play-offs preview see Tuesday's weekly Wigan Observer.