Super League: Salford Red Devils 20-23 Wigan Warriors

Josh Charnley is joining rugby union side Sale Sharks at the end of the season

Josh Charnley scored a hat-trick for Wigan Warriors as they overcame a late Salford Red Devils fightback.

Charnley and Ryan Sutton touched down for the Warriors, with Michael Dobson scoring twice for Salford, but Matty Smith's drop-goal gave the visitors a 11-10 lead at the break.

Charnley got his second and third, sandwiching a Smith penalty goal.

Wigan seemed in control but Josh Jones and Daniel Vidot tries for the Red Devils set up a frantic finish.

Wigan, who secured a third successive away win, went into the game having confirmed an investigation had begun following an altercation between two of their players.

Charnley, who is his final season at the Warriors after agreeing a move to Premiership rugby union side Sale next year, is now up to 14 tries in 17 outings in 2016.

All three Tomkins brothers featured in a match for the first time - Sam and Joel for Wigan against Salford hooker Logan, who came through the Warriors' youth system.

Shaun Wane's side remain fourth in the table but level on 24 points with Catalans and Warrington who sit above them, while the Red Devils stay 10th.

Salford head coach Ian Watson told BBC Radio Manchester:

"We did some dumb stuff so we didn't deserve to win the game. We didn't deserve to pinch it at the end and it probably would have been unfair to pinch it.

"We're in every game at the moment and that's a good thing about the group that we compete to the end.

"We just need to start backing ourselves and being a bit smarter in what we do."

Wigan head coach Shaun Wane told BBC Radio Manchester:

"It was a great effort that and I'm happy. A couple of things upset me towards the end of the game with the way we defended with cheap ball at important times.

"But on the back of that to get a decent win against a team who is playing really well, I've got to be really happy.

"We've had a great week this week and shown some real character."

Salford: Vidot; Carney, Jones, Sau, Bibby; Lui, Dobson; Kopczak, Tomkins, Griffin, Murdoch-Masila, Hauraki, Flanagan.

Replacements: Lannon, Walne, Williams, Joseph.

Wigan: S Tomkins; Manfredi, Gildart, Sarginson, Charnley; Williams, Smith; Crosby, Powell, Flower, Burke, Isa, J Tomkins.

Replacements: Mossop, Tautai, Sutton, Brotherton.