Salford Red Devils 20 Wigan Warriors 23
AJ Bell Stadium
Coach Ian Watson was keen to follow up last week’s convincing win against Wakefield Trinity but had a bit of a setback with both Gareth O’Brien and Niall Evalds out of the line-up. Daniel Vidot moved back to take over the full-back berth and Jake Bibby came in on the wing. The Reds also welcomed back Justin Carney after his one game suspension.
In the 2nd minute the Reds went close when Junior Sau got on the end of a clever kick by Michael Dobson before losing possession and the chance went begging.
It was Wigan though who drew first blood in the 8th minute when a punt to the corner by George Williams found Carney out of position to enable winger Josh Charnley to touch down too far out for Matty Smith to convert (0-4).
Not long after a storming burst by Carney split the Wigan defence wide open,Ben Murdoch-Masila then fed Sau who was stopped short of the line.
In the 20th minute the Reds drew level,an attack on the right came to nothing before Robert Lui hoisted a kick over the Wigan line which both Dom Manfredi and Oliver Gildart failed to clear. Bibby was the quickest to react with a deft chip sidewards which was gathered by Dobson to score (4-4).
With almost half an hour gone the Reds forged ahead after an up and under by Lui was missed by Sam Tomkins and snapped up by Craig Kopczak who sent Dobson scurrying under the posts for his second try. He added the two points for a 10-4 lead.
The pendlelum then swang Wigan’s way when somewhat against the run of play they evened the scores when Ryan Sutton crashed over the Reds line after collecting another Williams kick. Smith converted (10-10).
The end to end rugby continued with a smart drop-goal by Smith edging the Warriors ahead at 10-11 just seconds before the interval.
In the 53rd minute Wigan nudged further ahead when Smith and Dan Sarginson combined for Charnley to just evade a tackle by Carney to squeeze in at the corner (10-15).
Seven minutes later a Smith penalty stretched the Warriors lead to 10-17.
With just over fifteen minutes remaining Charnley raced in to complete his hat-trick. Smith this time converted courtesy of the post for a commanding 10-23 advantage.
In the 74th minute Josh Jones gave the Reds a glimmer of hope when he streaked through the Wigan defence to score. Lui this time added the extras (16-23).
Three minutes later a long pass by Lui sent Vidot crashing over by the flag to put the Reds within touching distance with time running out (20-23).
The Reds tried valiantly to grab another try but the Warriors held on.
This was another game that the Reds could have won. They though only had themselves to blame at times for some sloppy play near their own line although it has to be said that Wigan got the rub of the green from referee Gareth Hewer with some crucial decisions going their way.
Coach Watson provided a very honest appraisal in the post-match press conference: “We were unlucky at the back end, but I don’t think we deserved to win anyway with some of the stuff we did.
“We didn’t manage the game well enough, while Wigan and Matty Smith in particular managed the game well for Wigan.
“We need to be more composed. It is something we have been talking about, how consistent or inconsistent we are, it is something we need to work on when we are playing the best teams.
“We don’t know how to win the tight games at the minute, we are in every game which is a positive for us as a group.
“We feel we should be winning some of these games, if we had done the right things earlier in the game then we would have won it.”
Salford: Vidot,Carney,Jones,Sau,Bibby,Lui,Dobson,Kopczak,Tomkins,G Griffin, Murdoch-Masila,Hauraki,Flanagan.
Subs: Lannon,A Walne,Williams,Joseph.
Referee: Mr G Hewer
