ST HELENS coach Mick Potter was delighted with his side’s victory which lifts them up to third in the table and sets them up nicely for Friday’s derby with leaders Wigan.

“It was good to come here and get the two points,” he said. “Huddersfield made it very difficult for us.

“It was a big test, especially with the wind against us in the second half, and I thought we hung in very well.

“They put us under a lot of pressure.”

Potter singled out young centre Gary Wheeler for special praise after he defied a deep wound in his shin to play a key role in Saints’ second-half rearguard display.

He was badly hurt after crashing into an advertising hoarding and needed several stitches before being able to go back onto the field in the second half.

“It was a very nasty cut, right to the bone,” said Potter.

“You wouldn’t want to look at it if you didn’t have to.

“There were quite a few stitches – internally and externally – but the doctor did a good job to get him back on and his ball steal on Andy Raleigh could have been a turning point.”