Round 9:
Salford hold out Warrington

Salford moved up to joint second in the engage Super League after an outstanding defensive display at Warrington produced a 22-6 win.

The Reds spent most of the second half at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on the back foot but they continually frustrated the Wolves to claim an early season double over Paul Cullen?s side.

The visitors got ahead with four breakaway tries in the first half from Karl Fitzpatrick, David Hodgson, Luke Robinson and Stuart Littler and then kept their hosts scoreless after the break.

Warrington badly missed the creativity of inspirational half-back Lee Briers, who was ruled out injured before the game. Matters got worse when his partner Chris Bridge was carried off with an ankle injury in the first half.

The hosts enjoyed plenty of possession throughout the game but they broke the Salford line just once for a Henry Fa?afili try.

Warrington had the better of a cagey opening but Reds? former Warrington winger Jon Wilshere dealt well with a high ball from Bridge and Paul Highton claimed a probing grubber kick from Michael Sullivan.

Ben Westwood?s powerful run was also stopped short and Fa?afili was bundled into touch as he tried to dive over in the corner.

The Reds absorbed the pressure and hit the home side on the counter-attack to claim the lead after 13 minutes.

In-form stand-off Andrew Dunemann completely wrong-footed Stuart Reardon and Toa Kohe Love with a mazy run on the right and Fitzpatrick had a simple job to touch down. Wilshere added the conversion and the Reds moved up a gear to claim a second try after 21 minutes.

The home crowd cheered as Wilshere missed a straightforward penalty but they were not laughing moments later as Fitzpatrick?s kick into the in-goal area could have been touched down by Hodgson or Kevin McGuinness.

In the end it was Hodgson who got the final touch as the ball bobbled awkwardly. Bridge was lifted off just before the half-hour but the home side got themselves back into the game as they moved the ball wide and Kohe Love sent Fa?afili over.

Paul Noone, who came off the bench for Bridge while hooker Jon Clarke moved to stand-off, added the extras.

Yet it was as good as it got for Warrington as they were twice caught in the closing stages of the first half.

Robinson crossed as the Reds found space on the left and the scrum-half was again involved as he kicked through for Littler after a break from deep by Fitzpatrick. Wilshere converted both as Salford finished the half in style.

Salford were on the defensive throughout most of the second half but remarkably they managed to prevent further score.

It seemed they just could not be cracked, holding out as both Clarke and Sullivan drove close. Clarke had another opportunity and Chris Leikvoll dropped the ball short of the line as the Wolves failed to make their pressure count. Fa?afili was also pushed into touch as Warrington?s afternoon ended in frustration.

Hodgson could have claimed a fifth Reds try as he broke clear from his own half late in the game but Reardon did well to get back.

Warrington (6) 6 Try: Fa'afili Goal: Noone

Salford (22) 22 Tries: Robinson, Hodgson, Fitzpatrick, Littler Goals: Wilshere 3

Warrington: Grose, Fa?afili, Martin Gleeson, Kohe-Love, Reardon, Bridge, Sullivan, Leikvoll, Clarke, Wood, Swann, Wainwright, Westwood. Replacements: Noone, Rauhihi, Mark Gleeson, Parker.

Salford: Fitzpatrick, Hodgson, Littler, Moule, Wilshere, Dunemann, Robinson, Coley, Alker, Highton, Brocklehurst, Sibbit, Finnigan. Replacements: McGuinness, Clayton, Charles, Haggerty.

Referee: R Laughton (Barnsley)

Att: 10,744