IN A game Head coach Ian Watson had described as a must win, Salford Devils crushed a sorry Widnes Vikings team at the Select Security stadium on Friday night, 10 – 46.
After beating early title runners Castleford Tigers, Watson was at pains to get the team to put together back to back wins.
“It was a whole team effort” he told the assembled press post match.
“We spoke all week about backing up after last week, and the lads have listened and put our game plan into action.
“I thought we’d come up short against Wakefield, not backing up the win over Cas, We wanted to prove that we were a team to be taken seriously.”
On the Devils man of the moment Todd Carney, possibly the most warmed up player in Super League who finally got to join his team mates again, he was full of praise for the way he settled in:
“He was chasing the ball a bit, but later on, you got to see his skill as he fell into our shapes. On the whole a real professional performance I thought.”
Salford had six different try scorers over the course of the game, but it was Lama Tasi, one of a raft of payers celebrating a new contract this week, who scored the opening try after 14 minutes.
It was club stalwart Rob Lui who was the man of the match for Salford though. He orchestrated everything the team did on the field.
Lui played out on the wing, scored from centre and came on a loose forward. A real dynamo of a player who shows just how Watson has managed to form a squad that are more than capable of challenging for honours this season.
The home side however were booed off at the half time hooter, having allowed Salford to run in 30 unanswered points. Some fans wondered aloud if head coach Denis Betts had perhaps lost the trust of his players.
Some even asked if it was time for a change of coach and board by the time the hooter went on full time.
As it was, the 1000 or so Salford fans left in high spirits, with a home game against St Helens to look forward to on Thursday in front of the Sky Cameras.
Salford look very much the real deal, and by putting together a pair of wins, they have shown a real intent for the season.
| Widnes Vikings (0) 10 |
| Tries: Thompson, Hanbury Goals: Bridge |
| Salford Red Devils (30) 46 |
| Tries: Tasi, Johnson, Griffin, Murdoch-Masila, Welham, Carney, Dobson, Lui, O’Brien Goals: O’Brien 2, Dobson 3 |
Widnes Vikings: Hanbury; Thompson, Armstrong, Runciman, Marsh; Heremaia, Craven; Dudson, Johnstone, Buchanan, Olbison, Whitley, Houston.
Replacements: Bridge, Leuluai, J Chapelhow, T Chapelhow.
Salford Red Devils: O’Brien; Johnson, Welham, Sa’u, J Carney; Lui, Dobson; Tasi, Tomkins, Walne, Griffin, Murdoch-Masila, Flanagan.
Replacements: Kopczak, Krasniqi, Brinning, T Carney.
Referee: Chris Kendall
Quays News Man of the Match: Rob Lui
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