Salford Red Devils 74 Wakefield Trinity 10: Woeful Wakefield thrashed

Joe Burgess scored a hat-trick of tries as Salford Red Devils boosted their Betfred Super League survival hopes with a ruthless 13-try 74-10 demolition of Wakefield Trinity at the AJ Bell Stadium.

Ryan Brierley, Deon Cross and Ken Sio all scored braces while Marc Sneyd kicked 11 goals as Salford enjoyed one of their biggest ever top-flight wins.

The victory lifts Salford to eighth in the table, leapfrogging Leeds Rhinos and Warrington who they face next.

Both teams came into the game on the back of five wins from 15 games so the nature of Salford’s success was stunning.

Paul Rowley’s men scored six tries to race into a 32-6 interval lead and did not slow down after the break.

All that came after Wakefield had taken a fifth-minute lead, James Batchelor going over after taking the pass from Jacob Miller with Mason Lino adding the conversion.

The visitors continued to impress and enjoyed back-to-back sets close to the Salford tryline, but they were left to rue their inability to score as the Red Devils produced an amazing spell of scoring.

Salford drew level in the 14th minute when Tim Lafai grounded a kick through by Harvey Livett and Sneyd’s conversion made it 6-6.

Five minutes later, Salford were in front. A slick attack down the right side involving Andy Ackers and Brierley created the chance and Cross cut inside for a stylish finish.

Salford added a third try in the 23rd minute when prolific winger Sio was on hand to finish things off, taking the pass from Brodie Croft as the ball was again sent to the right edge. There was no goal from Sneyd but Salford led 16-6.

The home side’s onslaught continued with Burgess adding two tries in five minutes. His first saw him sprint home from 30 metres on a run up the touchline before he was first to react to an angled kick to the corner by Livett. Sneyd was unable to add either goal but Salford were cruising at 24-6.

The Salford tries continued to come and, four minutes before half-time, a superb break by Croft saw him draw the last line of defence before passing inside to the supporting Brierley who dived over for a score which Sneyd converted.

With the first half almost up, Sneyd took the opportunity to send over a penalty for obstruction which gave Salford a commanding 32-6 half-time lead.

There was no let-up from Salford after the restart as they scored twice in four minutes.

A kick-through by Sneyd was followed up by Croft and he touched down for a try before Kallum Watkins, who last week featured for England against the Combined Nations All Stars, got his name on the scoresheet after finishing off another slick attack.

Wakefield briefly stemmed the tide when they claimed their second try in the 52nd minute after winger Lewis Murphy found himself in space on the left edge, though Lino could not add the conversion.

It was to prove only a temporary blip for Salford who replied with three tries in seven minutes.

Burgess and Watkins linked well before the final pass from Cross got Sio over for his second try and, in the 59th minute, a move from the scrum saw Cross sprint to the tryline from halfway.

With 18 minutes of the game remaining, Salford prop forward Sitaleki Akauola powered over from close range and Sneyd’s ninth goal made it 62-10.

There was still time for Brierley to claim his second try and Burgess sealed his hat-trick with four minutes remaining as Salford wrapped up their biggest ever Super League win over Wakefield.

Salford: Brierley, Sio, Cross, Lafai, Burgess, Croft, Sneyd, Ormondroyd, Ackers, Gerrard, Livett, Watkins, Akauola. Subs: Atkin, Taylor, Luckley, Dupree.

Wakefield: Fifita, Hood, Whitbread, Ashurst, Batchelor, Pitts, Miller, Lino, Murphy, Minns, Croft, Lineham, Gaskell.Subs: Tanginoa, Battye, Butler, Crowther.

Referee: Jack Smith (RFL)