Super League: Salford Red Devils Salford beat Leeds Rhinos to boost play-off hopes

Joey Lussick's try settled Salford's nerves after a tense second half

Salford won a seventh game in a row for the first time since 1975-76 to beat Leeds Rhinos and as good as clinch their Super League play-off spot.

They ended a 13-game wait for a win at Headingley with tries from Niall Evalds, Jake Bibby and Joey Lussick, after Leeds mounted a comeback.

Leeds had plenty of possession and pressure and scored tries through Richie Myler and Jamie Jones-Buchanan.

But they could not take key chances and Lussick's late try sealed victory.

With Leeds all but safe given their points difference there was a relaxed vibe at Headingley

But a huge Salford travelling contingent was evidence of how important a win for the Red Devils would be to their play-off hopes, and their team showed up.

Now only an unlikely points-difference swing on the final weekend will deny Salford a place in the play-offs.

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Defensive last-ditch efforts from both sides were the hallmark of a bruising encounter, which Salford just about edged.

After almost a quarter of intense arm-wrestling, some magic from Jackson Hastings split Leeds open and free-scoring full-back Evalds backed up to score.

Bibby was put in at the corner as Salford extended the lead, although Myler's score off a Liam Sutcliffe break showed the home side were not lying down.

Krisnan Inu's boot established an extra buffer that proved key, particularly when a fired up Leeds came out and scored through veteran Jones-Buchanan to bring the scores within two.

There were some valiant displays of goal line defence as both teams refused to buckle, but when Leeds finally switched off, Lussick burrowed in to start the Salford party on the Western Terrace.

Only the sparking of a pyrotechnic device soured the celebrations, which could see Salford penalised by the Rugby Football League.

Salford coach Ian Watson:

"For us it's about taking it each week. We don't fear playing any team.

"The test was whether we could go through certain stages where we've had sets to defend on our goal-line and then come through the other side, which we have in the past two games.

"We've got the mentality to be able to win big games. The most appealing thing was the defence. If we want to be a top team we have to show resilience.

"[On the flare] It's not good. The club will take care of that. All of our travelling support were outstanding except one. One bloke has let that down."

Leeds coach Richard Agar:

"I thought we defended heroically in the second half, and I don't think we did much wrong in the second half.

"We lacked a bit of line speed but I thought we got caught on two plays.

"We played a lot of the game in our half. I thought a real big difference between the two teams tonight was the end of sets.

"We probably take a little bit of a lesson from Salford as they kept chipping away, kick-chasing. For us, a few too many errors in the first half."

Leeds: J Walker, Hurrell, Handley, Myler, Merrin, Sutcliffe, Oledzki, Briscoe, Newman, Seumanufagai, Lunt, Lui, Martin.

Interchanges: Ward, Dwyer, Jones-Buchanan, Smith.

Salford: Evalds, Sio, Welham, Bibby, Inu, Lolohea, Hastings, Mossop, Tomkins, Dudson, Jones, Griffin, McCarthy.

Interchanges: Flanagan, Lussick, Walker, Burke.