Wakefield 42 Salford 6 Match Report – David Clegg
An exceedingly disappointing performance, in what was undoubtedly one of the most important games of the season, brought to an end the rapidly receding chances of the Red Devils making the top eight, this season. It was not, however, the loss, nor the end of hopes of featuring in the end of season play-offs, which made the game so demoralising, but the nature in which both of these came about.
Five weeks ago, the Salford team succumbed to a similar defeat to Wigan, but if anything this was significantly worse, not because the first was against Wigan and this was only against Wakefield. To suggest that would be totally disrespectful to the Wildcats, for they had everything that the Devils did not: desire, hunger, keenness, enthusiasm, energy, physical presence, speed, and slick handling.
No the difference between those two games was that at Wigan there were aspects of our game, the kicking game for example, which showed evidence of improvement, and for spells early in the match they did compete with the Warriors, whereas at Wakefield they singularly failed to get out of the blocks from start to finish.
The introduction of Tony Puletua and Darrell Griffin, half way through the first forty, did bring some improved element of resistance, and indeed Salford had their best period, putting some sustained pressure on the Wildcats’ line, for the one and only time, just before half time.
It was, in fact, Puletua’s break, on 47 mins, the only Salford clean break in the middle of the field of the whole game, which brought about their solitary try. He was backed up by Harrison Hansen (above), who went 40m to score to the left of the posts, with Levin Locke converting.
Hopes that, at 16-6, this might spark a Devils’ rally were scotched eight minutes later when Wakefield scored again. Most alarmingly, this signalled a capitulation which no-one could have remotely expected prior to kick off, and from that point onwards, Wakefield appeared to have the ability to score at will, doing so with regularity against an apparently bemused and static defence, on 58, 63, 70, 79 minutes.
And so Salford joined the ranks of Wigan, Leeds, Widnes, and Warrington, all of whom have floundered in recent weeks in the face of the Wildcats’ claws.
Wakefield Scorers:
Tries – Owen (2), Raleigh, Washbrook, Riley, Collis, Lauititi
Goals – Sykes (5)
