They say the sun shines on the righteous and that was never more evident than today as the sun mercilessly beat down on the heads of the 5,724 fans of both teams who had packed into the Salford Community Stadium to watch what was to become an epic showdown between the Devils and the Saints.
Red Devils fans are celebrating after a dramatic 20-18 victory over St Helens at the Salford Community Stadium. The match, part of the Betfred Super League, was a nailbiter for both sides, with both teams exchanging leads throughout.
St Helens started strong with early tries from James Bell, Curtis Sironen, and Percival, giving them the lead. Salford, despite missing key players Ryan Brierley and Tim Lafai, fought back fiercely. Deon Cross scored twice, and Kallum Watkins added another try, keeping the Red Devils in the game.
A key moment came when Sneyd’s high kick led to Hankinson’s try, leveling the scores. Sneyd’s subsequent conversion sealed the win, delighting the Salford fans. This victory was particularly sweet as it ended a long-standing winless streak against St Helens and highlighted Salford’s resilience and determination.
The match began with St Helens taking the lead through James Bell, who capitalized on a grubber kick from Mark Percival. Despite the early setback, Salford responded with two tries from Deon Cross, the second set up by a superb kick from Sneyd. This put Salford ahead 10-6 at halftime.
St Helens fought back in the second half with tries from Curtis Sironen and Mark Percival, briefly putting them back in the lead. However, Salford’s determination shone through. Kallum Watkins scored from a Marc Sneyd kick, bringing Salford back into contention.
With the scores tied at 18-18, Sneyd’s calm conversion of Chris Hankinson’s late try sealed the historic win for Salford, sparking jubilant celebrations among the home fans in the stands. The victory is a testament to the team’s tenacity and skill, promising an exciting remainder of the season for the Red Devils.
The match was also part of the Armed Forces Weekend celebrations at the stadium, adding to the festive atmosphere. Salford’s win provides a significant boost to their Super League campaign, showcasing their potential and ambition for the season ahead.
With this victory, the Red Devils have demonstrated their capability to challenge top teams in the league. Fans are now eagerly anticipating their next match against the Wigan Warriors, buoyed by this impressive performance.
Following the match Salford’s head coach Paul Rowley told BBC Radio Manchester:
“To beat top teams you need to defend well and we did that. We played the game in the right half of the field for us, which was a challenge we accepted, as they have 54% of possession generally. We went in at 54% at half time.
“Dominating possession means you dominate territory and we were led by [Marc] Sneyd, who is a talisman and the architect of everything good. We deserved the win in a good game.
“People laud [Tim Lafai] as one of the best centres in Super League so nobody wants their best players dropping out but if I’m honest nobody batted an eyelid. We’re pretty chilled with stuff like that.”
