Devils top after beating Broncos
NO COMPLACENCY AS SALFORD END TOUGH WEEK IN STYLE
SALFORD brought an end to a tough week with an impressive victory over Betfred Super League newcomers London to move top of the table.
A bout of flu had affected the squad so severely that training was cancelled midweek to prevent the spread, but despite that Ian Watson was able to name an unchanged side from that which despatched of Huddersfield last time out.
The Red Devils have faced the Broncos twice in the last three years in the Super 8 Qualifiers and been beaten both times, so the coaching staff were well aware of the need to avoid complacency against the recently-promoted side.
“The big thing where we’ve probably got better and learnt our lessons is not to underestimate London,” said Watson.
“We knew they were a dogged team and it doesn’t matter if you get a lead on them, 6-0 or 18-0 like Wakefield found out last week, you’ve got to defend well.
“You’ve got to be on it every week and your mentality has got to be right to play a team like London.
“We knew what they were going to bring and the fact we’ve been able to do the job just proves that we’re a better team than last year.”
In the Broncos’ first set in possession, Jordan Abdull knocked on at dummy half just five metres from his own tryline, but the visitors stood strong in defence and it was a sign of things to come from Danny Ward’s side.
Although they rarely threatened with the ball in hand, London were hugely impressive without it, effectively keeping a lid on the Red Devils’ attack that had proved so exhilarating in the round one victory at Huddersfield.
The home side again looked to exploit their threat on the left-hand edge comprising Josh Jones, Junior Sa’u and Ken Sio, but the Broncos consistently managed to number up and presented an impenetrable defensive unit.
It took an exceptional offload from Jones to finally break the deadlock, Sio exploiting the space left by the three men involved in the tackle to cross for his third try in two matches.
That was the only score of the first half, but it didn’t take long for the Red Devils to get over in the second, Niall Evalds’ short kick ricocheting off the posts and into the arms of Jackson Hastings to touch down.
Hastings added a penalty before Evalds crossed when another kick flicked up off a defender and Jones powered over in the final minute to extend Salford’s advantage.
The only sour note for the home side was a late sin-binning for captain Lee Mossop.
He sat out the last five minutes of the match after an altercation with Greg Richards saw him shown a yellow card by referee James Child.