NIALL AND HAMMER! Evalds sends new boys Packing
NIALL EVALDS swooped with two lethal late blows to knock the stuffing out of Toronto.
The Wolfpack – with superstar Sonny Bill Williams again largely underwhelming – hauled themselves level with 10 minutes to go.
But full-back Evalds put the Red Devils back in control when he sent in centre Dan Sarginson for an unconverted try.
Then, with three minutes left, he snuck in past some sloppy Wolfpack defending to put the result beyond doubt.
Wolfpack centre Hakim Maloudi, who had been moved to full-back, said: “I put my hand up and said sorry. It is my mistake. I thought the ball was going out and I was waiting but he came in and scored.
“It is my bad but the players have told me it is a team effort.”
Evalds’ late strike secured the Grand Finalists their first win after their thrashing by St Helens last week – and leaves Toronto still searching for their first victory in Super League.
Wolfpack boss Brian McDermott didn’t attend the post-match press conference but relieved Salford coach Ian Watson said: “It got a bit nervy towards the end. It was a must win game for us and I thought it was a really good win.
“Toronto are playing with confidence and they are a team that is reasonably settled.
“They throw the ball about and challenge you a lot and they will cause a few teams problems.”
Dual-code Kiwi international Williams started for Toronto, after coming off the bench in last week’s defeat by Castleford, and was certainly better than he’d been on his debut.
But apart from a few trademark offloads there is clearly much still to come from him.
He will miss Toronto’s next game against Wigan on Thursday as he flies home on Monday to be at the birth of his fourth child.
Toronto drew first blood with Gary Wheeler racing over with his first touch of the ball after coming on as an 18th-minute substitute for the injured Joe Mellor.
Lively Salford stand-off Tui Lolohea set up the first home try for Kev Brown and added the conversion to nudge them into a 6-4 lead.
Salford struck twice in two minutes early in the second half through Lolohea and Rhys Williams.
Wheeler replied with his second try in the 54th minute before Brad Singleton powered over to level the scores.
The sniff of their first blood in the top flight was soon wiped out by Salford’s grandstand two-try finish.
Maloudi added: “We’re building and we want to shock Wigan next week.”
SON DON’T SHINE: Williams finds it tough
THE Great Britain women’s basketball team need to beat Spain today to have any hope of reaching the 2020 Olympics. They were beaten 82-79 by South Korea in Belgrade yesterday during the qualifying tournament.
ISRAEL FOLAU won’t be risked by Catalans today, with the Dragons preferring to keep his controversial debut for next week’s home game against Castleford.
But Wakefield fans are still expected to vent their feelings over a man who claimed “hell awaits” gay people.
Wildcats coach Chris Chester says he and all players have been warned by Super League bosses not to talk publicly about arguably the most loathed man in rugby.
But the club are anticipating a reaction from the terraces and issued the statement: “We would remind anyone that wishes to attend that any anti-social behaviour will be dealt with.”
Wakefield captain Jacob Miller admits Folau would have been a “massive threat” if he’d been included in Catalans’ squad.
His absence at least gives the Wildcats a chance of bouncing back from their 30-12 defeat at Hull KR on the opening weekend.
Chester said: “Everybody was really disappointed. To make 16 errors in one game is ridiculous.”