Super League: Wakefield Trinity 30-24 Salford Red Devils: Tom Johnstone scores twice as hosts win third game in a row

Reece Lyne was among the Wakefield try scorers in a dominant first-half display

Wakefield withheld a strong second-half fightback from Salford to register their third Super League win in a row.

Jacob Miller, Reece Lyne and Tom Johnstone's double put the hosts firmly in control at the break, with Rhys Williams getting Salford's only points.

But the Red Devils came back strongly, with Deon Cross, Ken Sio and Williams again closing the gap to 24-18.

Jay Pitts' try secured the game for Wakefield after 71 minutes, before Sio grabbed a late consolation.

After losing their first four league games, Wakefield have now won four games in a row in all competitions, and move up to sixth, while Salford drop to ninth after a fourth defeat in five games.

Trinity took the lead after eight minutes when the impressive Johnstone made a break down the left before feeding Miller, who crossed the line for his first try of the season.

A mistake from the restart allowed Salford straight back into the game, with Williams diving over in the corner, but Marc Sneyd missed the chance to level the scores with the boot.

Trinity went back in front through the same combination as their first score. This time with the roles reversed as Johnstone plucked Miller's kick out of the air to dot down, with Max Jowitt adding the extras to make it 12-4 after 20 minutes.

Johnstone was influential again as the hosts stretched their lead further, making a scything break to set-up Lyne's try. He then capped a fine first-half performance with an individual score as the hosts took a 24-4 lead into the break.

Salford responded six minutes into the second half, building pressure on the Trinity line before eventually working it to Cross to score, with Sneyd converting.

The gap was reduced to just six points going into the closing stages as Sio and Williams scored, but missed conversions from Sneyd proved costly.

Wakefield made the game safe with nine minutes left when Pitts scored from Mason Lino's kick, before Sio grabbed his 10th try of the season in the final minute.

Wakefield coach Willie Poching:

"Tom Johnstone was outstanding in the first half, he was the best player on the park when he was on there and we missed him in the second half.

"He's a very special player. There aren't too many players in our game who can score the try he did.

"I thought he carried strong too and he looked dangerous every time he carried for us. He's really confident at the moment."

Salford coach Paul Rowley:

"We dipped our toe in the water, which you can't do at this level. As is quite frequent, we've got a team that tries really, really hard, but lack a little bit of resilience defensively and that comes down to a little bit of quality at times.

"It's a choice to work hard and do tough actions, and defence in particular. We were really good with the ball, when we built pressure and our execution was pretty good.

"To get five tries away was pretty good, you should be winning. So it was purely defence."

Wakefield: Jowitt, Johnstone, Hall, Lyne, Kay, Miller, Lino, Batchelor, Ashurst, Pitts, Tanginoa, Hood, Arona.

Interchanges: Whitbread, Crowther, Battye, Aydin.

Sin-bin: Hood (78)

Salford: Brierley, Williams, Cross, Lafai, Sio, Croft, Sneyd, Vuniyayawa, Ackers, Gerrard, Taylor, Lannon, Ormondroyd.

Interchanges: Akauola, Burke, Atkin, Luckley.

Referee: Chris Kendall

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