Leon Pryce produced a masterclass to guide St Helens to a nine-try victory that enabled them to close the gap on second-placed Warrington Wolves to just two points ahead of next week’s Engage Super League derby.

The former England stand-off, who was left out of national coach Steve McNamara’s 37-strong squad for their get-together last Tuesday, responded in style by scoring his side’s first try and laying on three of the next four to see off an out-classed Wakefield Trinity Wildcats before taking a well-earned breather.

Former Bradford Bulls utility back Kieran Hyde marked his Engage Super League debut by scoring the game’s first try which briefly encouraged the Wildcats supporters and the home side enjoyed all the early pressure after capitalising on an error-strewn opening by their opponents.

But, once Saints found their rhythm, the outcome was never in doubt as Wakefield suffered a familiar second-half collapse that looks to have scuppered their top-eight hopes.

Tevita Leo-Latu caught the eye during the Wildcats’ early promise and second rower Glenn Morrison had two tries disallowed but John Kear’s men finished a badly-beaten side after conceding six second-half tries.

Pryce began to demonstrate his class as early as the 12th minute, bumping off the attempted challenge of Sam Obst to jink his way over for the try that cancelled out Hyde’s earlier score.

He then put in an inch-perfect grubber kick for winger Ade Gardner to score the second and got substitute forward Tony Puletua crashing over from short range after setting up the position with a 40-20 kick.

It was 16-6 at half-time and any hope of a Wakefield fightback was extinguished with six minutes of the re-start when scrum half Scott Moore broke clear to send second rower Jon Wilkin over for a fourth try.

When Hyde fumbled Pryce’s high kick, 20-year-old Shaun Magennis pounced for the first of two tries and hooker James Roby then burst into space to get Wilkin over for his second.

That was the signal for Saints to turn on the style, with James Graham and Paul Wellens combining superbly to get Magennis over for his second and Wellens and Roby stringing the passes together for Puletua to claim his second.

Francis Meli, playing out of position as the club’s fifth-choice centre, finished off the rout with their ninth try and winger Jamie Foster brought up the half-century with his seventh conversion.