Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
RED DEVILS BURN
Dragons way too strong for Salford
SALFORD are still searching for their first Super League win of the season after they were thumped by Dragons.
Richard Marshall’s sorry-looking side appeared tired in Perpignan after a tough start to their campaign.
And three league losses in a row, albeit to strong sides, will cause concern for Red Devil’s new coach.
Salford hit the ground flat-footed against a top Catalans sdie at home for a first time since October.
The Dragons were too fast and too strong and four straight wins in league and cup have put a spring in the step of Steve McNamara’s side.
A second-half hat-trick for winger Fouad Yaha and brilliant goal-kicking performance by stand-off
James Maloney destroyed the Red Devils
Catalans captain Ben Garcia scored first in the 12th minute, then centre Samisoni Langi crossed. Maloney added a penalty on 27 minutes and the Dragons were 14-0 up.
Three minutes later Mike McMeeken broke through the visitors’ line on half-way and released Josh Drinkwater to stride over the line untouched, Maloney’s kick making it 20-0.
Salford staged a mini-revival after a series of penalties put them on the offensive, but often ball was wasted too.
The Red Devils have had a tough start to the season against the strength of St Helens and Hull, and looked visibly tired as the halftime hooter neared. It was more of the same in the second half as Catalans took advantage of two early penalties to press the Salford line and Tomkins and Langi combined to put winger Fouad Yaha in at the left, with Maloney’s kick making it 26-0.
A Matt Whitley steal then led to McMeeken’s one-handed reverse pass to put winger Tom Davies in on the right, Maloney again converting for 32-0. Catalans got hooker Michael McIlorum off the bench after his five-match ban but it inspired Salford with Harvey Livett’s try, kicked by Morgan Escaré.
Dragons hit with Yaha’s second, Maloney’s seventh conversion making 38-6.
The left-winger then completed his hat-trick.
Coach Marshall said: “We’re learning tough lessons. We’ve played three tough teams but at the same time we thought we’d execute our plan a lot better than that.”
CATALANS: Tries: Garcia, Langi, Drinkwater, Yaha (3), Davies. Pen: Maloney. Cons: Maloney (6).
SALFORD: Try: Livett. Con: Escare.