Leeds crush Salford

Official English Super League Round 21 game report - Friday 15 July 2005. Full time: Leeds 54 Salford 14.

Leeds crush Salford

Mark Calderwood grabbed his fourth hat-trick of the season as Leeds produced a devastating first-half masterclass to crush Salford 54-14 at Headingley.

The reigning engage Super League champions bounced back in style from their 32-24 defeat to London in Perpignan last Saturday by running in seven first-half tries to effectively seal the points before the interval.

Touchdowns from Danny McGuire, Rob Burrow, Calderwood (2), Richard Mathers (2) and Andrew Dunemann sent the Rhinos in at the break with an unassailable 42-0 lead.

While Salford came out fighting after the interval, claiming three quickfire tries to restore some semblance of pride and respectability, Leeds had long since secured the points.

Calderwood was left to complete his treble shortly after the hour mark before Willie Poching and the ever-impressive Burrow again registered to leave the City Reds well and truly bewildered.

The Rhinos, who named Matt Diskin in their starting line-up for the first time since last season?s Grand Final following a serious knee injury, were clearly eager to banish the pain of last week?s defeat.

And it took them just three minutes to open the scoring following an excellent break which saw Mathers find to McGuire just inside his own half.

The Great Britain stand off, who scored a remarkable 39 tries last season, showed electrifying speed to outpace the Salford defence and ground just wide of the posts.

Burrow added the extras before grabbing a try of his own five minutes later. Stand-in captain Keith Senior broke strongly down the left flank and found Marcus Bai in support to his right.

The winger?s wayward offload failed to find a team-mate, but Burrow was on hand to collect the loose ball and race over the line for his 19th Super League try of the season.

After 17 minutes Leeds claimed their third try when Calderwood finished off a well-worked move in the right-hand corner to emulate Burrow in claiming his 19th Super League touchdown of the year.

The impressive Mathers then took Ali Lauitiiti?s pass to cross the line before Dunemann barged over the whitewash from close range.

Mathers and Calderwood then completed their respective braces shortly before the interval to confirm the rout was well and truly under way.

And with Burrow converting all seven of his side?s first-half tries, Salford trudged off at half-time knowing they were essentially playing for pride in the second period.

But they came out fighting and it took them just three minutes to register their first points of the game.

Centre Stuart Littler found space to cross the line in the left-hand corner before Chris Charles missed the conversion.

With the pressure now firmly off the City Reds, they began to show glimpses of the form which earned them two wins from their previous two games.

A delightful move saw them claim their second try of the game 13 minutes after the interval when Tim Hartley finished off a flowing move in the left-hand corner for a try which Charles converted.

Reinvigorated, Salford stuck gamely to their task and were rewarded again on 56 minutes when Littler claimed his second try.

However, fine finishes from Calderwood - with his 21st Super League try of the season - Poching, and the ever-impressive Burrow completed the rout for Leeds and maintained their 100% Super League record against the City Reds.

Leeds (42) 54. Tries: McGuire, Burrow 2, Calderwood 3, Mathers 2, Dunemann, Poching. Goals: Burrow 7.

Salford (0) 14. Tries: Littler 2, Hartley. Goals: Charles.

Leeds: Mathers, Calderwood, Walker, Senior, Bai, McGuire, Burrow, Lauitiiti, Diskin, McDermott, Jones-Buchanan, McKenna, Ellis.

Replacements: Dunemann, Poching, Scruton, Cummins.

Salford: Fitzpatrick, Hodgson, Littler, Sibbit, Smith, Beverley, Robinson, Rutgerson, Alker, Highton, McAvoy, Shipway, Charles.

Replacements: Haggerty, Coley, Baldwin, Hartley.

Referee: Karl Kirkpatrick (Warrington)

Att: 13,904

Thanks to www.superleague.co.uk for the review