DEVIL OF A START
SALFORD HIT BY SAINTS ONSLAUGHT
ST HELENS SALFORD RED DEVILS 48 8
ST Helens picked up where they left off at Old Trafford and produced an ominously dominant performance to take victory in the Grand Final replay that kicked off Salford’s 2020 Super League campaign.
Jonny Lomax was at his imperious best for the hosts, who consistently built pressure and forced repeat sets, capitalising on even the smallest of errors from the Red Devils.
“They taught us a lesson in how to play the game,” admitted head coach Ian Watson.
“They did the basics really well - they ran hard, they tackled hard, they were really consistent in turning you over in the pockets and they hunted you defensively on the back of that. We’ll be fine as a group going forward, but we need to learn the lesson that St Helens have taught us.”
The champions turned over possession inside their own half on each of their first two sets, prior to conceding a penalty 30m out that was slotted by Tui Lolohea and gave the visitors an early two-point lead. But Saints started to show why they’re such hot favourites to retain their title, building pressure with back-to-back sets, aided by Salford’s willingness to give away penalties.
Zeb Taia ran a great line back inside to stroll over for the first try before Alex Walmsley charged onto a short ball from stand-in hooker James Bentley.
Rhys Williams looked to have cut the deficit for Salford after half an hour but had stepped a foot in touch, and it was Saints who scored next, Theo Fages cutting through the Salford defence to make it 18-2 at halftime.
Salford again thought they were in, only to be denied by the video ref, this time Ken Sio adjudged to have drifted out of bounds as he touched down a Kris Welham kick. And it was business as usual for Kristian Woolf’s side as a huge defensive effort saw Saints push Pauli Pauli back over his own line to force a dropout, from which Kevin Naiqama crossed for a try.
Sio dived over in the corner to spark hopes of a comeback with 30 minutes remaining, but that was quickly snuffed out when Naiqama dived over for his second score just a few minutes later.
Salford turned over possession in the build-up to Jack Welsby’s first try a quarter of an hour from time, while the young winger added a second soon after, dribbling the ball from dummy half to the tryline.
There was still time for Walmsley to grab his second, exploiting a tired Red Devils defence, as Saints cruised to victory.