Wakefield Trinity 30 Salford Red Devils 24: Tom Johnstone stars in fourth straight win

The victory will send Trinity into next Sunday’s Betfred Challenge Cup quarter-final in high spirits, but with a concern over Johnstone who did not come out for the second half.

By that stage, with Trinity leading 24-4, he had scored two tries, provided the final pass for another and been heavily involved in one more.

With Johnstone off the field, Salford staged a fightback in the second period, cutting the gap to six points inside the final 10 minutes, before Trinity’s fifth try sealed it.

Another key factor in Wakefield’s third Betfred Super League success of the season was Max Jowitt’s goal kicking. He improved all their touchdowns while Marc Sneyd managed to convert just two of Salford’s five.

Johnstone provided the pass for Trinity’s opening try, after eight minutes. Corey Hall’s pass sent him into space and the winger unselfishly turned the ball inside to give Miller an easy stroll to the line.

Salford to hit straight back through Rhyse Williams, following a Wakefield error from the restart, but Johnstone increased Trinity’s advantage late in the first quarter, as Miller returned the favour from earlier.

The stand-off chipped a kick to the left flank and Johnstone got to it before a hesitant Sio, touching down one handed. On the half hour, Johnstone fielded a kick behind his own line and went on a thrilling run, then - after he had been dragged down - managed to get the ball away to Wakefield’s other winger, Liam Kay.

He was also halted, but on the next play the ball was moved right and Reece Lyne went over unopposed. In the final seconds of the first half, Miller’s pass found Johnstone on the left flank and, with most of Salford’s defence massed in front of him, he cut infield, past a host of would-be tacklers, to score an almost impossible try.

That set had begun with Johnstone needing treatment on his back before being able to play the ball, after making a super airborne catch on his own line.

The second half was a different story. Salford’s Deon Cross scored after Ryan Lannon and Sam Luckley had both been held up across the hosts’ line; then - after a ball steal on Sitaleki Akauola behind the whitewash and desperate defence to prevent Chris Atkin touching down - Ken Sio scored his ninth try of the league campaign.

With 14 minutes left, Wakefield attempted a short drop out, but Williams made the catch and raced straight over for Salford’s fourth try. That cut Trinity’s lead to six points, but in the 72nd minute Mason Lino opted not to go for a one-pointer and instead kicked right to Kay whose offload sent Jay Pitts over to seal it.

With 28 seconds left, Wakefield’s Tinirau Arona was sin-binned for persistent infringements and Sio scored a consolation try for Salford from the penalty, Sneyd converting after the hooter.

Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt, Johnstone, Hall, Lyne, Kay Miller, Lino, Tanginoa, Hood, Arona, Ashurst, Pitts, Batchelor. Subs Battye, Whitbread, Crowther, Aydin.

Salford Red Devils: Brierley, Williams, Cross, Lafai, Sio, Croft, Sneyd, Vuniyayawa, Ackers, Gerrard, Taylor, Lannon, Ormondroyd. Subs Akauola, Burke, Atkin, Luckley.

Referee: Chris Kendall (Huddersfield).

Attendance: 4,371.

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