RED DEVILS IN DEPTH: SALFORD V WAKEFIELD

There is nothing more surprising than outcomes and results in any sport, and the only thing which we should be surprised by is our own surprise at unexpected results, because they happen so often, all of which is what makes it so fascinating to watch.  That was certainly the case, this weekend, for Salford Red Ded Devils when they took on the visiting Wakefield Trinity, with their visitors languishing without a victory at the foot of the table, whilst the Reds themselves were on the back of a sixty-point scoreline from the previous week.

Expectations for this encounter, therefore, had the sky as the limit in the minds of many, and when Matty Costello crossed for a converted try, in the fourth minute, thanks to a considerable overlap that their signature, slick handling had forged, a few more, rathermore guarded individuals will have joined their ranks.

It has been said, on previous occasions in these pages. that scoring too early and too easily can become something of a double-edged sword, by encouraging over-confidence in a team’s ranks, which leads to a small but important drop in their intensity, which in turn feeds into a growth in self-confidence among their opponents.

Factor in the desperation at Wakefield’s current plight, which must be eminent throughout their ranks, coupled with the fact that they had obviously done a very thorough job in their preparation for the game so that every strike player for Salford had been identified and was carefully marshalled.  Kallum Watkins, for example, found, in opposite number Matty Ashurst, an almost ever-present obstacle to his breaking clear.

So the longer the Red Devils went without scoring again, the more the visitors grew in self-belief, and they found themselves getting to those try-saving tackles which kept their deficit to manageable proportions.  For their part the home side started to show signs of frustration with themselves at their further lack of success, and a wild pass on their own line caused a goal-line drop-out, from which Wakefield opened their account, after ten minutes, to draw level.

A thwarted opportunity to score through Deon Cross, in the 23rd minute, as often happens in these circumstances led to the opposition going to the other end and taking a 6-10 lead with an unconverted try in their right corner.  Fortunately, Salford still had one more try left in them before the interval, from a simple, basic scoot by Chris Atkins which was sufficient to get him over to restore a two-point half-time lead.

It would appear that discussions over half-time had shifted the Reds’ focus for the second half to establishing midfield dominance by the forwards, and for the first twenty minutes this went well with the pack gaining good field position and keeping the visitors penned in their own half.   Tyler Dupree might not have made any eye-catching clean breaks, but he certainly made the Wakefield six struggle to contain him.

It was similarly great to see the now-returned, Adam Sidlow, rolling back the years by a decade since his last spell here, and wearing the opposition down using his power and size to grand effect, as he has done against us so many times during the interim period.

The nearest the home side were to come to scoring though was on 59 mins, when Rhys Williams got over the line, only to lose the ball in a last-ditch tackle, and, when Wakefield did eventually get to the other end, they were awarded a penalty in front of the posts which tied the score at twelve all, ten minutes from time.

It is at times like these that someone has to emerge to set their seal on the game, and, on this occasion, it was man-of-the-match, Marc Sneyd.  He had been one of the Salford players, throughout the game, to have been able to trouble the Trinity defence, but drop-goals, after all, are one of his specialities. How reassuring it was, therefore, to watch him take complete control of the situation in the final five minutes, and through extra time.

His first, with five minutes remaining, was promptly wiped out by Wakefield, who were gifted possession from the restart, by Salford’s failing to take the ball before it went into touch, his second attempt was a rushed affair which went wide and his third was successful in itself but with it being disallowed for an incorrect play-the-ball immediately before. There was no such doubt over his final kick which won the match, much to everyone’s relief.

Disappointing as the performance might have been, however, the benefit of going through a dour, tough encounter, not to mention experiencing golden-point extra time, will undoubtedly stand them in good stead for the future, for it is not just having players who have gone through these experiences elsewhere themselves, but the whole group going through it together and learning from one another how to do so, successfully.

MATCH REPORT – SALFORD RED DEVILS 14-13 WAKEFIELD TRINITY (BETFRED SUPER LEAGUE ROUND 5)

Marc Sneyd’s drop-goal in the fifth minute of golden point secured back-to-back victories Salford Red Devils in the Betfred Super League.

Round 5 presented Paul Rowley’s side with a very stubborn Wakefield Trinity side – desperate to get their first points of the season. It was an error-filled game, packed with tension, but a moment of pure quality from our number seven was the difference in the end.

Before the game, Salford were hit with yet another injury blow in the form of Tim Lafai, but it was his replacement who opened the scoring on four minutes.

Ryan Brierley teased the Wakefield defence and released his pass at just the right time for Matt Costello to receive and stroll over for his first of the season.

Trinity hadn’t scored a point in three successive matches, but they broke their duck when Corey Hall supported Jorge Taufua’s break down the left edge to stretch over.

A nip-and-tuck next 20 minutes ended with Wakefield taking the lead. A high kick on the last was not dealt with in the right corner and Reece Lyne plucked the ball out of the sky to score.

Salford were struggling to get the game under control, but a strong tackle from Danny Addy forced a knock-on and the Red Devils had a scrum 20 metres out.

Wakefield conceded six-again after six-again and finally the pressure told – with Chris Atkin powering past his man on the left to hand us the lead just before the interval.

HALF-TIME: Salford Red Devils 12-10 Wakefield Trinity

The start to the second-half was much like the first – very scrappy.

Both sides were conceding errors and no-one could gain much territory. Rhys Williams almost made a breakthrough on the hour mark, with some neat work from the scrum, but the Welsh winger knocked-on when attempting to slide over in the left corner.

Salford’s slender lead didn’t last much longer, with Mason Lino slotting away a penalty-goal when the hosts were penalised just 25 metres out.

The two sharpshooters – Sneyd and Lino – then exchanged drop-goals in the last five minutes, with the full-time hooter signalling our first golden point of the season.

FULL-TIME: Salford Red Devils 13-13 Wakefield Trinty

Wakefield started with the ball, but the Red Devils soon had it back and who else but Marc Sneyd was on-hand to secure his team two vital competition points with a pinpoint drop-goal.

GOLDEN POINT: Salford Red Devils 14-13 Wakefield Trinity

Photo credit: Steve McCormick

MATCH PREVIEW – SALFORD RED DEVILS VS WAKEFIELD TRINITY (BETFRED SUPER LEAGUE ROUND 5)

Salford Red Devils are looking to build-on a fantastic Round 4 victory when we take on Wakefield Trinity in Round 5 of the Betfred Super League.

After picking up two wins and two losses to start the season – with positive moments in each game – Paul Rowley’s side will be looking to kick-on and climb the table against a team who have failed to register a point in three matches.

Against Hull FC last Saturday, the Red Devils were ruthless in possession and scored some stunning tries on the way to a 14-60 win at the MKM.

The players and coaching staff will be looking to replicate that performance this afternoon, but despite remaining winless, Wakefield possess some dangerous threats. None more so than Mason Lino, who was a stand-out performer across the 2022 campaign.

We were beaten in our opening home game of the season nearly a month ago, so the players be looking to give the Salford faithful something to cheer about this Mothering Sunday.

Here’s everything you need to know ahead of our Round 5 clash this afternoon:


SQUAD NEWS

The big piece of injury news is the return of Danny Addy, with the Scotland international featuring for the first time in over eight months since he sustained an Achilles injury away against Leeds Rhinos.

Missing out on the World Cup with Scotland, the 32-year-old has used that disappointment as fuel to come back fit and firing; and now he’s ready to help the team kick-on in 2023.

Unfortunately, February’s Player of the Month, Oliver Partington requires surgery on his knee and will be missing for an extended period of time.

However, a big boost is that Joe Burgess’ shoulder injury is not as bad as first feared and the winger will be back in around two weeks time!

There are also returns to the 21-man squad for Sam Stone and Ben Hellewell.


ADDY’S PREVIEW

As mentioned earlier, Danny Addy is back in action after over eight months out.

It’s a huge boost to Paul Rowley’s squad ahead of a crucial run of fixtures, with numbers in the team already short with some early-season injuries.

We caught up with him ahead of this fixture to find out how he’s feeling to be back around the group, what’s it’s been like to be out for such a long time and what he expects from Wakefield later today.

“It’s been around eight-and-a-half months now. It’s been a long time on the sidelines and I’ve put a lot of hard work in to get back fit and I’m really excited to be back involved with the team,” he began.

“It’s not nice being out with a long-term injury, but I’m just happy that’s behind me now and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in this weekend!”

Check out our full chat with Danny by clicking HERE or below!


HOW TO BUY TICKETS

Yes! Tickets for this game remain available and can be secured in two ways:

Online – CLICK HERE!

On The Day – Tickets can be purchased on the day from the ticket office, located on the West Stand.


WHAT’S GOING ON AT SALFORD RED DEVILS VS WAKEFIELD TRINITY!

Back home for Mother’s Day!

Salford Red Devils host Wakefield Trinity at the Salford Stadium on Sunday 18th March, looking to build on a fantastic Round 4 victory against Hull FC last weekend.

Ahead of the game, we’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions to make your visit as enjoyable as possible.

In case you missed it, Salford Red Devils will be working in partnership with Heathcote & Co to support our delivery of a first-class match day experience.

This partnership means the Club now generate a percentage of the F&B revenue on match day and non-match day, so make sure you come down to the ground earlier and sample everything we have on offer.

What’s that you ask? Here’s everything that’s going on in and around the Salford Stadium this Sunday:

WHAT’S GOING ON?

PRE-1:30PM:

Following on from our opening Betfred Super League home game of the season, a DJ will be situated outside the stadium from 1pm.

There will also be a Beer-bus in the south-west corner of the ground, so supporters can enjoy a refreshment or two before even entering the stadium.

Bach 95 – a gluten-free lager company – will also have a stand in the same area, so there’s plenty of choice to treat your mum to a Mother’s Day drink!

As usual, John Blackburn from the Salford Red Devils Foundation will have his Tombola stand set-up closer to the stadium bowl.

POST-1:30PM:

Turnstiles for this particular fixture are open from 1:30pm.

The Supporters’ Trust will have a table set-up in the south-west corner of the concourse, giving supporters the opportunity to sign-up for a membership. Members of the Salford Red Devils men and women’s team will be joining them throughout the afternoon – so pop over and say hello!

Please note, the kiosks inside the stadium will be operating a cashless payment service, however, the Salford Red Devils Foundation’s regular Tombola will be accepting cash as usual.

The Red Angels Dance Team will also be on the pitch pre-game!

3PM – KICK-OFF

Our game is set to kick-off at 3pm, so please take your seats in plenty of time to roar on the lads as they enter the field before this crucial fixture!

3:40PM (APPROX) – HALF-TIME

The Cadishead Rhinos and West Horton rugby league teams will be on the pitch at half-time.

4:30PM (APPROX) – FULL-TIME

Hopefully after another fantastic victory, stay behind to see our Reserves side take the field and face Wakefield Trinity, in Round 2 of the Betfred Super League – with all supporters to be seated in the West Stand.

For members of the 1873 Lounge, we will also be showing the FA Cup quarter-final between Manchester United and Fulham on the big screens.

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION!

TICKETING:

Yes! Tickets for this game remain available and can be secured in two ways:

Online – CLICK HERE
On The Day – Tickets can be purchased on the day from the ticket office, located on the West Stand.

You can still bring your Mum to the game for just £10! However, please note prices may rise on match day, so please purchase in advance if you want access to this special offer!

Please note that this game IS included for 2023 Season Ticket Holders. If supporters are yet to collect their season tickets, they can do so from the ticket office following the game, accessing the stadium using their digital ticket for the fixture. 1873 Lounge season ticket collections are taking place at reception.

PARKING:

On-site car parking is available at the Salford Stadium. Parking is not operated by the club.

Through CosCos and EST Parking, we have been able to secure some reduced price car parking for supporters on land earmarked for development close to the stadium.

In order to ease congestion when arriving at the Stadium, supporters can pre-book their parking by clicking here.

1873 LOUNGE:

Supporters who have opted to purchase match tickets in the 1873 lounge will be able to purchase refreshment options from a menu created by new stadium catering partners, Heathcote & Co. 

There will be a hot dog stand in operation for supporters wishing to purchase a quick snack, but if you want something a bit different, there are different options available, so check out the menu on arrival.

Please note, whilst children are welcome in the 1873 Lounge, they should not be left unattended and should refrain from playing ball games around the lounge and exterior hallways.

The Man of the Match award will be presented in the lounge post-match.

CELEBRATE THIS MOTHER’S DAY WITH SALFORD RED DEVILS AND MUM!

Celebrate this Mother’s Day with the Salford Red Devils AND Mum!

On the 19th March, we host Wakefield Trinity for a 3pm kick-off at the Salford Stadium, and to celebrate Mothering Sunday, we’ve got two great offers for supporters to pick from.

Avoid making the choice of watching your beloved Red Devils or seeing mum this Mother’s Day by bringing her along!

Supporters can purchase a £10 ticket for the mother in their life in either of the South or West Stands. Supporters may also choose to purchase their ticket in the 1873 Lounge, should their own ticket be in that area.

To select ‘Mum’s Ticket’ please SIGN IN to your ticketing account first. The ticket band is only visible to users who are signed in to their account.

Fancy something slightly more special? Treat your mum to Afternoon Tea this Mother’s Day, in a private area where you can enjoy the match build-up together. Served from 1pm until kick-off, there can be no better way to spend match day with mum!

Season ticket holders, sign in, and visit the packages page HERE to access your special price.

Non-season ticket holders, you can find the afternoon tea package HERE.

More than two in your party? No problem! For £25 per additional guest, you can bring along the rest of the family.

Please contact our ticket office at ticketoffice@ajbellstadium.co.uk, or call 0161 786 1570 or visit between opening hours to book directly.

For standard match tickets, click HERE.


T&Cs

  1. Note, those who purchase Afternoon Tea do not have access to the 1873 lounge.
  2. Afternoon Tea offer is valid only until 12pm on Thursday 16 March.
  3. Entry with ‘Mum’s Ticket’ is permitted only when with a season ticket holder or full price ticket.
  4. Note, supporters attempting entry on incorrect ticket types will be refused entry and redirected to the ticket office.
  5. Maximum of one ‘Mum’s Ticket’ can be purchased per transaction.
  6. Tickets purchased as part of all promotions are subject to Salford Red Devils General Ticketing Terms & Conditions.

For further information, or for any queries, please email enquiries@salfordreddevils.net.

RED DEVILS IN DEPTH: SALFORD V WAKEFIELD

As the visiting Wakefield swept into an early 0-6 lead after a mere three minutes of play, in last Sunday’s Super League encounter, the signs for a Salford victory seemed somewhat sparse, and no-one could possibly have predicted the amazing about turn, which was about to manifest itself.

This had been an eagerly awaited match ever since the Red Devils had been pipped at the post, back in April in their away fixture, at Belle Vue.  More recently, however, the tightness of the two teams’ league status had turned the game into a ‘must win’ fixture for both sides.

Besides that opening try proving to be a complete red-herring, as far as the result was concerned, it also proved to be a wake-up call for the home side, who responded with what must have been their most outstanding performance, and subsequent victory, in the past two seasons.  Once the momentum began to swing in their favour there was absolutely no stopping them, and the points started to accrue at the most remarkable speed.

Overwhelming victories often lead to the debate over whether it was good attack or poor defence which was the dominant reason for the outcome.  Not on this occasion, however, because there could be no gainsaying the incredibly impressive attacking force into which the Salford attack turned.  That all but two of their tries were scored by backs, and five of them by wingers is testament in itself to that.  Wakefield’s  defence just had no chance of coping with it.

Tries galore was the outcome, and the skill, grace, and clinicity, with which these were forged simply had to be marvelled at.  They sprang from virtually every aspect of the game – in-goal kicks, directly from scrums, goal-line drop-outs, penalties, well-supported clean breaks – all of these proved to be the starting point for one or other of the thirteen tries.

The ones which were the most impressive and enjoyable, however, were those, predominantly in the first half, in which the absolutely fabulous, slick, handling saw the ball swept from one side of the field to the other, with a precision, and also variations, that were so beautiful in their execution, that they had to be seen to be believed.  The position of each player in the line, on each occasion, was centimetre perfect, and the timings of each and every pass were impeccable.  They had to be to foil the Wakefield defence as frequently as they did.

And what of the Wakefield defence?  Well, they certainly will not have conceded willingly, when you consider just what was at stake.  They simply had the misfortune of coming up against a team, which, on the day, was absolutely on fire, and totally dominated possession.  We can all remember periods, in which they successfully contained the Reds in their own thirty metre area, until an end-of-set kick relieved the pressure.

There is a limit to the amount of defending anyone can do, though, and with the amount of possession Salford enjoyed, Trinity’s energy levels understandably fell as each half progressed, and particularly in the second half, there was a small number of clean breaks which came as a result of the visitors’ fatigue.  They, nevertheless, still managed to score a second try, on 51 minutes.

A total of seventy-four points does not come predominantly from poor defence, however, it has to come primarily from the exceptionally high quality of the attack in order for it to mount up to such a massive scoreline, and this is undoubtedly what happened on this occasion

There even were a couple of occasions when it looked as though another try was on the way only for it to be chalked off by the referee.  Harvey Livett failed to ground cleanly Marc Sneyd’s in-goal kick on 8 mins, while Sneyd himself was given exactly the same judgement in the second half, and was also called back, later, whilst on his way to the line, for a forward pass.

In addition, there was a considerable amount of off-the-ball work, which probably went unnoticed, but which was quite instrumental in the victory.  An end-of-set kick towards the Wakefield try-line, for example, was recovered by the fullback, only to receive the full force of Jack Ormondroyd’s charging tackle, with the ball being knocked out of his grasp, thereby acquiring possession for Ryan Brierley 62nd minute try.

The challenge for the team now is to put this game behind them and focus on next Sunday’s match at Warrington.  This scoreline, marvellous as it is, will have no relevance then, and the 0-0 score, from which both teams will start, will need all the hard work that any game needs, in order to bring back the points from the Halliwell Jones.

RED DEVILS IN DEPTH: SALFORD V WAKEFIELD

As the visiting Wakefield swept into an early 0-6 lead after a mere three minutes of play, in last Sunday’s Super League encounter, the signs for a Salford victory seemed somewhat sparse, and no-one could possibly have predicted the amazing about turn, which was about to manifest itself.

This had been an eagerly awaited match ever since the Red Devils had been pipped at the post, back in April in their away fixture, at Belle Vue.  More recently, however, the tightness of the two teams’ league status had turned the game into a ‘must win’ fixture for both sides.

Besides that opening try proving to be a complete red-herring, as far as the result was concerned, it also proved to be a wake-up call for the home side, who responded with what must have been their most outstanding performance, and subsequent victory, in the past two seasons.  Once the momentum began to swing in their favour there was absolutely no stopping them, and the points started to accrue at the most remarkable speed.

Overwhelming victories often lead to the debate over whether it was good attack or poor defence which was the dominant reason for the outcome.  Not on this occasion, however, because there could be no gainsaying the incredibly impressive attacking force into which the Salford attack turned.  That all but two of their tries were scored by backs, and five of them by wingers is testament in itself to that.  Wakefield’s  defence just had no chance of coping with it.

Tries galore was the outcome, and the skill, grace, and clinicity, with which these were forged simply had to be marvelled at.  They sprang from virtually every aspect of the game – in-goal kicks, directly from scrums, goal-line drop-outs, penalties, well-supported clean breaks – all of these proved to be the starting point for one or other of the thirteen tries.

The ones which were the most impressive and enjoyable, however, were those, predominantly in the first half, in which the absolutely fabulous, slick, handling saw the ball swept from one side of the field to the other, with a precision, and also variations, that were so beautiful in their execution, that they had to be seen to be believed.  The position of each player in the line, on each occasion, was centimetre perfect, and the timings of each and every pass were impeccable.  They had to be to foil the Wakefield defence as frequently as they did.

And what of the Wakefield defence?  Well, they certainly will not have conceded willingly, when you consider just what was at stake.  They simply had the misfortune of coming up against a team, which, on the day, was absolutely on fire, and totally dominated possession.  We can all remember periods, in which they successfully contained the Reds in their own thirty metre area, until an end-of-set kick relieved the pressure.

There is a limit to the amount of defending anyone can do, though, and with the amount of possession Salford enjoyed, Trinity’s energy levels understandably fell as each half progressed, and particularly in the second half, there was a small number of clean breaks which came as a result of the visitors’ fatigue.  They, nevertheless, still managed to score a second try, on 51 minutes.

A total of seventy-four points does not come predominantly from poor defence, however, it has to come primarily from the exceptionally high quality of the attack in order for it to mount up to such a massive scoreline, and this is undoubtedly what happened on this occasion

There even were a couple of occasions when it looked as though another try was on the way only for it to be chalked off by the referee.  Harvey Livett failed to ground cleanly Marc Sneyd’s in-goal kick on 8 mins, while Sneyd himself was given exactly the same judgement in the second half, and was also called back, later, whilst on his way to the line, for a forward pass.

In addition, there was a considerable amount of off-the-ball work, which probably went unnoticed, but which was quite instrumental in the victory.  An end-of-set kick towards the Wakefield try-line, for example, was recovered by the fullback, only to receive the full force of Jack Ormondroyd’s charging tackle, with the ball being knocked out of his grasp, thereby acquiring possession for Ryan Brierley 62nd minute try.

The challenge for the team now is to put this game behind them and focus on next Sunday’s match at Warrington.  This scoreline, marvellous as it is, will have no relevance then, and the 0-0 score, from which both teams will start, will need all the hard work that any game needs, in order to bring back the points from the Halliwell Jones.

“We definitely know we’re capable” – Paul Rowley

Salford Red Devils boss Paul Rowley was proud of his teams’ efforts to almost overturn a 24-4 half-time deficit away against Wakefield Trinity on Sunday.

In Round 7 of the Betfred Super League, the Red Devils travelled to the Be Well Support Stadium hoping to build on their last league victory against the Leeds Rhinos a fortnight ago.

Despite moments of opportunity, the hosts – largely through Tom Johnstone – dominated proceedings in the first 40 and went into half-time with a sizeable lead.

The reaction in the second 40 was excellent, with some intense pressure on the Wakefield defence building the platform for an almost spectacular comeback. Deon Cross, Ken Sio and Rhys Williams all scored second-half tries, but the game was just out of Salford’s reach.

Speaking to the press after the game, Rowley was quick to say how proud he is of his team for their efforts but knows there is room for improvement if they want to return to winning ways.

Rowley said: “I’m always proud of their efforts – I’m proud of them every day they turn up for training. I’m proud of all our players, I’m proud of all our staff every week in training and on a match day.

“But I don’t give out bravery badges and being a champion is really tough, and that’s why it’s tough – we’re not going to give cuddles out for digging in though, it’s about winning.”

After a weeks’ rest, Salford go head-to-head with local rivals Warrington Wolves in Round 8 of the Betfred Super League. It begins a tricky stretch of fixtures for the Red Devils, but the head coach is seeing it as an opportunity to showcase the talent this team possesses.

Rowley continued: “We’ll rest up for a few days now and have a good week’s prep into Warrington, who will obviously be fired up and desperate themselves.

“But we don’t waver or fear anybody, we definitely know we’re capable, but you’ve got to defend.”

Daryl Powell’s side have lost their last five in all competitions, so they will also be looking to bounce back and climb back up the table. It’s all set up to be an enthralling clash at the Halliwell Jones Stadium next Thursday.

Purchase your tickets HERE for Rivals Round.

Written by: Harry Siddall

RED DEVILS IN DEPTH: WAKEFIELD V SALFORD

For sheer entertainment value, this Round Seven game had everything anyone could have wished for, with classy, expansive, skilful handling, rampaging hit-ups, tricky defence-splitting running, end-to-end movement, and tries aplenty, all in one afternoon’s worth of Super League.

At first glance, it might appear to have been a game of two halves, with first Trinity, and then the visiting Salford side having total ascendency, in each of the forty-minute periods.  That assumption is certainly supported by the scoreboard, with Wakefield rattling up a 24-4 interval lead, and the Reds winning the second stanza by twenty points to six.

There was more to it than that, however, with Salford, in particular, making some notable impact when Wakefield held the whip hand.  For example, after the home side had taken an eighth-minute, six-point lead, it took the Red Devils a matter of only two minutes’ play,  before they eroded into it, with the first of Rhys Willams’s tries, after deft hands from the ever-impressive, Tim Lafae, and it was only thanks to their successful conversion that Wakefield continued to hold onto the lead.

Indeed, when you look at the number of tries rather than points accrued, it was completely even, with five each, four of which, for both teams, came in just one half.  Unfortunately, with both Salford wingers scoring a brace each, the majority of their scores were out wide, making it far more difficult for kicker, Marc Sneyd, to acquit himself as accurately as he probably would have liked, and, in the end, it was the three missed attempts from the most difficult, which were responsible for the final six-point difference between the sides.

Even after Trinity had opened up a 12-4 lead after fifteen minutes, Salford ripped through their defence, on twenty-six minutes, when Elijah Taylor made a clean break down the left, but was unable to take advantage of his teammates’ support as a Wakefield defender cleverly put himself between them, and the difficult inside pass went adrift.

If there were a period in which Trinity were totally dominant, it was in the final ten minutes of the half, when they doubled their number of points on the board.  It started with a poor Salford chase after a kick into their opponents’ in-goal area, which enabled Wakefield to build up a head of steam, and they promptly went a hundred metres down the field, in only five tackles, to score by the posts.  Winger, Tom Johnstone, then rounded off the half with one of his typical individual tries.

Much as they contributed to the game on attack, unusually, there must have been questions about the visitors’ defence, at times during the half, to be facing a twenty-point deficit.  There had been, nevertheless, a period mid-half, when they had withstood two back-to-back goal-line drop-outs, followed by two back-to-back penalties, all within close proximity to their own line.

Whatever the nature of the discussion during half time, Salford were a team transformed, from the start of the second half.  The immediate pressure they applied led to the initial rewards of two back-to-back goal-line drop-outs, of their own capped with a penalty, and they all added to the Red Devils’ total dominance, which culminated in Deon Cross’s converted try, on forty-seven minutes.

Momentum had swung in Salford’s favour, and they were now in the ascendency, so much so that it took merely seven minutes for the next score, from Ken Sio, such was the new-found confidence they were exuding.  They even went close to adding two further tries, only to be held up, over the line, on both occasions.

Wakefield, on the other hand. were now  confined to almost constant goal-line defence, and it was close to mid-point in the half before they launched an attack on the Salford line.

One aspect of play which the home side did command, however, was the ability to win most of the contested high kicks, though Rhys Williams will have gained considerable satisfaction from plucking the ball from one, short, goal-line drop-out, out of the air, and away from the waiting hands of an opponent to cross, unchallenged, for his second try.

Ken Sio, on the other flank, mirrored his colleague’s scoring rate, though, by the time he had the chance to complete his tally, thirty seconds from time, the Wakefield lead had increased to twelve points, and the victory was theirs.

There was much of which the Red Devils should be proud, however.  The notable improvement in their attacking play was most encouraging, as well as entertaining, and they certainly showed that they do have the clinical skills to turn their chances into points.  With a blank weekend coming up, there is the opportunity to hone these skills further, but also to rediscover their defensive strategy which has done so much to help them, in previous games.

LATE TRY SINKS U19S HOPES

Salford Red Devils 6 Wakefield Trinity 12                              Match Report

In a keenly contested, bruising and physical encounter, the Salford Red Devils’ College Academy succumbed to one late moment of magic, to the absolute stand out player on view on Wednesday afternoon, Wakefield’s fullback.

Until that moment, the game had looked for all the world as though it would end in a draw, with the sides most evenly matched.  This was greatly to the Red Devils’ credit, for Wakefield have long since been the top side in the competition, and had been undefeated this season, going into this fixture.

Salford, on the other hand were looking a little thin on the ground, with some key players missing, owing to injury, and this was compounded by the loss of a number of substitutes to enable the first of this season’s dual fixtures to take place.  That the club has sufficient young players of this age to facilitate two teams simultaneously is a considerable achievement, in itself.

When, however, as happened on this occasion, injuries start to accrue, the number of replacements available does become quite significant, and with no quarter being asked nor given, those injuries, on Wednesday, did start to mount.  Most noteworthy was the loss, in the second half, of both props, Euan Haynes and Josh Higgin, through head injuries.

Euan’s, in particularly, was serious enough to prevent his appearance, next week, in any rearranged game, which might take place.

Despite all this, however, it was Salford who settled the sooner, and for the first quarter they totally dominated proceedings both in terms of possession and position, with their raising attack after attack on the Trinity line, until on fifteen minutes, some fine handling got the ball to left winger, Alec Walton, in space.  He cut inside his opposite number to register the first score of the afternoon, which, with Jack Kenway’s excellent conversion from out wide, put the home side six points ahead.

Indeed, The Red Devils were unfortunate not to go further ahead, shortly afterwards, when centre Josh Wagstaffe, crossed, only for it to be ruled out for a forward pass.

A certain loss of focus, and possibly energy, towards the end of the half, however, allowed the visitors to build up some momentum and gain a foothold in the game, with certain individuals on their side starting to come to the fore.  One strong run by one of their props took play to the Salford ten metre line, with fullback, Nathan Connell, managing, magnificently, to halt his progress, and prevent a try.

That try, though, was not long in coming, with their scrum-half running an extremely good line to cut through and score by the posts, bringing the sides level at the interval.

For by far the most part, the second-half was a grind, with the defences on both sides completely dominating the other’s attacks.  Wakefield probably had overall the better field position which was great credit to Salford’s defence in general, and their goal-line defence, in particular.

Midway through the half, Kai Barker thought he had put the Reds back in front, when he grounded the ball on the line, but the referee was not convinced and ruled a knock-on.  It was not their only chance of scoring, though, with overlaps being forced on the left wing a couple of times, only for the long, final passes to Walton failing to find their mark.

On seventy minutes, the game was decided by the Wakefield fullback who had been a constant threat throughout the half.  With absolute sheer class, he linked into the line and then sold the most outrageous of dummies to open up space for him to ghost through.  He had made a somewhat similar break earlier in the half, which Connell, as last line of defence, had managed to halt, but this time, he succeeded only in slowing him down, and then falling off the tackle as his opposite number completed an eighty-metre break with the winning score.

Coach, Danny Barton, whilst disappointed by the result, was, nevertheless, proud of his side’s performance.

“Wakefield have always been such a particularly strong side that to have matched them on defence was extremely pleasing.  Not only that, we made more metres in possession than they did.  Their fullback was absolute quality and was the difference between the two sides, something which was acknowledged by their coach, who also said that we had give them the toughest contest that they had encountered so far this season.”

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