Super League: Salford Red Devils 24-18 Wigan Warriors

Full-back Niall Evalds has scored four tries this season for Salford Red Devils

Salford Red Devils recorded their third victory in a row to beat Wigan and leapfrog them into third place in the Super League table.

The hosts led at the break thanks to tries from Niall Evalds and Michael Dobson after Larne Patrick gave Wigan an early lead.

Ben Jones-Bishop extended Salford's lead before Wigan full-back Ryan Hampshire reduced the deficit to 18-12.

Evalds went over again before Joe Burgess crossed at the death for Wigan.

Both teams finished the match with 12 men after a melee following Evalds' second try three minutes from time.

Salford forward Weller Hauraki, already facing a ban after an incident at Huddersfield in Friday, and John Bateman were sent off for trading punches, the pair having already been sin-binned following an earlier flare up.

Kick-off was delayed by 15 minutes because of congestion outside the ground but once under way it was the visitors who made the brighter start.

Salford's defence failed to deal with a towering Matty Smith kick and Patrick picked up the loose ball to stroll over, Hampshire tagging on the conversion.

Wigan increased the lead to 8-0 with a Hampshire penalty after Hauraki was caught offside from a Smith kick, but Salford hit back when Dobson and Chase combined for Evalds to dart over, Josh Griffin adding the conversion.

Wigan then lost Tony Clubb with a thigh injury before Salford took the lead for the first time with a sizzling try from Dobson against his old club.

Josh Griffin broke clear from inside his own half for the supporting Dobson to notch his first try for the club.

Griffin added the goal to make it 12-8 at the break before Jones-Bishop grabbed a superb solo try on the hour.

There appeared to be no danger to Wigan when Jones-Bishop took the ball 45 metres out but he burst through two tackles, rounding Hampshire in style to notch his seventh try of the season, Griffin converting.

The hard-fought contest erupted 15 minutes from time when referee Richard Silverwood yellow-carded Hauraki and Bateman after a melee.

Hampshire then put Wigan back in the match with a fine try after 68 minutes, adding the goal to cut the gap to 18-14.

Salford sealed victory when Dobson's perfect pass sent Evalds over for his second try, Griffin booting a fourth goal from as many attempts.

After the second flare-up which saw Bateman and Hauraki red-carded, Burgess went over 39 seconds from time for his fifth try of the season.

Salford coach Iestyn Harris:

"I'm very pleased because Wigan are a champion team.

"We knew it would be difficult but the quality of the game was really high.

"It's the first time we have really challenged a top-four side physically and we have now taken nine wins from 11 at home."

Wigan coach Shaun Wane:

"Friday was tough and took a lot out of us but the best team won and we didn't test them enough.

"We were a little bit dumb with the ball and made unforced errors but could still have won it if we'd been a bit smarter.

"It seemed like a lot of blokes running in and doing nothing before the red cards but I will have to look at the incident in detail."

Salford: Evalds; Jones-Bishop, J Griffin, Sa'u, Johnson; Chase, Dobson; Taylor, Lee, Morley, Paterson, Hauraki, Hansen.

Replacements: Hood, D Griffin, Tasi, Forster.

Sin Bin: Hauraki (66).

Sent Off: Hauraki (79).

Wigan: Hampshire; Tierney, Gelling, Sarginson, Burgess; Williams, Smith; Tautai, McIlorum, Mossop, Bateman, L Farrell, Patrick.

Replacements: Clubb, L Tomkins, Sutton, C Farrell.

Sin Bin: Bateman (66).

Sent Off: Bateman (79).

Attendance: 6,561.

Referee: Richard Silverwood (RFL).