Warriors seal win at Salford
- Match report as Wigan Warriors defy a late comeback to beat Salford Red Devils.
- Ruthless Wigan triumph on the night as Bevan French registered a second-half hat-trick.
- FT | Salford Red Devils 12 – 30 Wigan Warriors.
Match report as Wigan Warriors keep their resolve to overcome a determined Salford Red Devils.
A tight start to a close game with neither side giving an inch got to half time with only a Harry Smith converted try to separate them.
Liam Marshall added a brace after the restart and Bevan French grabbed a hat-trick that took the game firmly away from Salford despite a late comeback from the home side in the dying minutes.
Report
The game started with both teams playing the percentages game by attacking conservatively and defending robustly and keeping their discipline with minimal mistakes, Wigan being the more flamboyant of the two in attack providing more offloads. Harry Smith, the man of the moment, was the danger man for Wigan and his opposite number Brodie Croft likewise for Salford.
Both teams were neck and neck until Salford turned over possession in their half giving Wigan the advantage, a surgical pass from Harry Smith to Jake Bibby who fed Liam Marshall out wide who cut back inside, with all Salford eyes on Jai Field in support on the peripheral, Liam Marshall passed back inside to the supporting Harry Smith who crossed for the first try of the game on 10 minutes, converting himself to make it 6-0.
Salford went close on the 22nd minute only for former Wigan flyer Joe Burgess to knock the ball dead resulting in a Wigan 20m tap. Not long after a determined Liam Farrell run got Wigan on the Salford line but they couldn’t capitalise on the field position. Wigan Warriors went into the changing rooms at half time leading by 6, with the game being tight and disciplined.
The second half began with a minor scuffle and on 44 minutes Wigan attacked left on the 5th tackle with a power play, Harry Smith passed to Jai Field who gave a delayed pass to Jake Bibby who kicked the ball through with a perfectly weighted kick for Liam Marshall to scoop up and cross over the line in the corner. Harry Smith missing the conversion for 10-0.
Salford got to the Wigan try line and looked to score only for a long pass from Andy Ackers to be intercepted by Thomas Leuluai who gave it to the supporting Jai Field. Field got to half way, giving it to Bevan French but he was tackled on Salford’s 40m losing the ball in the process providing the best piece of attacking play of the game so far.
This proved to be a dress rehearsal for a few moments later when Bevan French caught a high kick in his own try line, turned the Salford defender inside out and then raced 50m giving the ball to Jai Field who in turn attracted a couple of chasing Salford defenders and then gave the ball back to French who crossed in the right corner on the 50 minute mark, Harry Smith converted taking the game to 16-0.
Tyler Dupree broke through the Wigan defence and ran 40m getting Salford to within 20m of the Wigan line, a Kallum Watkins kick behind the defence saw Liam Marshall kick the ball dead resulting in a Wigan drop out under the sticks. Wigan dropped the ball out only for the Salford’s Ormondroyd to drop the ball in contact with the Wigan defenders.
A Salford handling error on their own 25m saw them hand over possession to Wigan, the resulting scrum saw Bevan French go over in the corner for his second try of the game, Harry Smith failed to convert, but Wigan are moving up the gears taking the game to 20-0.
On 59 minutes a wonderful passing move between Field, French and Isa saw Liam Marshall wrap around to the right wing and score in the corner.
Shortly after with Wigan in full attacking flow, Harry Smith gave a looping pass out wide putting Willie Isa into space who gave it to Liam Marshall who broke down the right, Marshall hacked the ball back inside for the supporting Bevan French to gather and go underneath the sticks for his hat-trick try on 63 minutes, Harry Smith converted the effort to take the game to 30-0.
Salford forced a goal line drop out on 72 minutes, a few blockbusting runs got Salford in a strong attacking position but couldn’t capitalise on it, turning the ball over to Wigan. Wigan then lost possession, from the Salford scrum Marc Sneyd kicked through forcing another goal line drop out.
Desperate attacking saw Deon Cross gather a Ryan Brierley kick to grab a consolation try for Salford on 76 minutes, with Marc Sneyd converting before a rejuvenated Salford attacked the Wigan line and on 78 minutes with the game all but gone, Kallum Watkins gathered a Brodie Croft kick to add another.
Marc Sneyd converted the late effort to take the game to 30-12 in Wigan’s favour but the comeback was too late and Wigan Warriors walked away with their 11th win of the season, taking them to second in the Betfred Super League table.
Salford Red Devils: Ryan Brierley, Ken Sio, Deon Cross, Tim Lafai, Joe Burgess, Brodie Croft, Marc Sneyd, Sitaleki Akauola, Andy Ackers, Jack Ormondroyd, Harvey Livett, Kallum Watkins, Elijah Taylor.
Interchanges: Tyler Dupree, Alex Gerrard, Sam Luckley, Amir Bourouh
Tries: Cross (76′), Watkins (78′)
Goals: Sneyd 2/2
Wigan Warriors: Jai Field, Bevan French, Willie Isa, Jake Bibby, Liam Marshall, Harry Smith, Thomas Leuluai, Brad Singleton, Sam Powell, Liam Byrne, Liam Farrell, John Bateman, Kaide Ellis.
Interchanges: Patrick Mago, Oliver Partington, Ethan Havard, Joe Shorrocks.
Tries: Smith (10′), Marshall (45′, 60′), French (50′, 57′, 63′)
Goals: Smith 3/6
Referee: Chris Kendall
Attendance: 5,944
