Matt Calland's side even recovered from a 28-6 interval deficit to claim a share of the spoils in a two-tries-each second period, debutant Australians Dylan Nash and Luke Branighan claiming a touchdown each.

True, last season's Co operative Championship Grand Finalists will go into next weekend's Northern Rail Cup opener at Sheffield with their attacking game less well honed than they might have liked, although the root of that problem lay as much with the strength of the opposition as anything Fax did.

Even before a ball was kicked, the St Helens' teamsheet hinted at likely domination.

Coach Mick Potter fielded 25 players, which if nothing else gave his side a numerical advantage they scarcely needed compared to Calland's 20.

It was the quality of the opposition that probably took Fax by surprise though.

After all the talk of "about eight" top line players, Potter put out 10 of the side that contested last October's Super League Grand Final, plus returning loanee Scott Moore - rated as the top flight's best hooker in 2009 during his season-long stint at Huddersfield - and Kiwi international Sia Soliola, the former Sydney Roosters centre making his second appearance for the Knowsley Road side.

Fax had their own debutants, with Paul White on the bench, Nash and Branighan starting at back row and stand off respectively, and Stanley Gene slotting in at half back in place of the injured Ben Black.

In the end though, this was a night for perspiration rather than inspiration, with none of the new boys really getting the chance to shine consistently with the ball.

Instead, it was the midfield workhorses - Bob Beswick, Mark Gleeson - that shone as Fax toiled with real determination to keep their hosts in check.

The creative shining light turned out to be teenager Anthony Bowman, the younger brother of discarded back rower Andy.

Bowman emerged as a second half replacement and showed some nice touches, including a deft grubber kick that created Nash's 61st-minute try.

Predictably, Saints has started in steamroller fashion, forcing two drop outs inside the first four minutes before James Roby burrowed his way through some desperate goalline defence to score by the posts.

Eastmond added the conversion for a 6-0 lead, but only lasted until the 12th minute when James Haley showed anticipation and some neat juggling skills to pick off Paul Wellens' pass deep in his own quarter and sprint 70 metres for Fax's first score of the night.

Lee Paterson levelled at 6-6, but the visitors' parity lasted less than five minutes, substitute Maurie Fa'asavalu, who caused real problems every time he touched the ball, stretching over by the posts and Eastmond converting.

Fax did everything they could to relieve the pressure, Rob Worrincy and Haley both doing exceptionally well to make it back into the field of play after fielding kicks in goal.

And they almost conjured a try that would have been worthy of their hosts, Branighan's chip kick on his own 40 metre line finding Jon Goddard, who sent Paterson sprinting clear down the left.

The winger, like so many before him, found beating Wellens an impossible task, but it at least demonstrated that Branighan's reputation with the boot is more than just pre season hype.

Saints stretched their lead to 18-6 on the half hour, Soliola weaving over on the left for Eastmond to convert.

Shad Royston did well to halt the rampaging Fa'asavalu with a head-on tackle, but Saints brought the half to an end in predictably ruthless fashion, tries from young utility back Gary Wheeler and Wellens, after super skill by Soliola, bringing the half to a close.

The second half brought the promise of a more even encounter as Potter replaced experience with youth, albeit leaving the likes of England prop James Graham and Kiwi Test back rower Tony Puletua on the field to maintain his side's edge.

Saints' stranglehold persisted, with the seemingly constant stream of drop outs providing an object lesson in Calland's favourite subject - building pressure - if ever there was one.

But Fax were warming to their task as the night wore on and Nash's try, courtesy of Bowman's cultured boot and converted by Paterson, put them in the Strudwick-esque position of winning the second half with 19 minutes remaining.

A double from Leon Pryce, the England stand off scoring twice in quick succession, reasserted the home side's authority, but Branighan had the last word, dummying his way over to the left of the posts.

MATCH FACTS
St Helens: Paul Wellens; Ade Gardner, Sia Soliola, Matt Gidley, Gary Wheeler; Leon Pryce, Kyle Eastmond; Nick Fozzard, James Roby, Jake Emmitt, Tony Puletua, Matty Ashurst, Jon Wilkin. Substitutes: Maurie Fa'asavalu, Scott Moore, Andrew Yates, Shaun McGennis, Chris Dean, Jack Bradbury, Paul Johnson, Jonny Lomax, Jamie Foster, James Graham, Andrew Dixon, Mike Bennett
Tries: Wellens, Soliola, Wheeler, Pryce (2), Fa'asavalu, Roby
Goals: Eastmond (4), Bennett

Halifax: Shad Royston; Lee Paterson, Jon Goddard, James Haley, Rob Worrincy; Luke Branighan, Stanley Gene; David Wrench, Mark Gleeson, Neil Cherryholme, Dave Larder, Dylan Nash, Bob Beswick. Substitutes: Danny Fleming, Danny Russell, Mark Roberts, Frank Watene, Paul White, Anthony Bowman, Stephen Bannister
Tries: Haley, Branighan, Nash
Goals: Paterson (3)

Referee: Matthew Thomason