Super League: Salford Red Devils 23-8 Leeds Rhinos - Rohan Smith loses first game in charge

Marc Sneyd scored seven of Salford's 23 points with the boot

Salford Red Devils put together a comfortable win to consign newly appointed Leeds Rhinos boss Rohan Smith to defeat in his first game in charge.

Ken Sio and Joe Burgess put Salford into an early lead before Ash Handley responded, but Andy Ackers crossed for Salford just before the break.

Ryan Brierley sent Salford further in front, after Marc Sneyd slotted in a drop-goal deep into the second half.

Mikolaj Oledzki added a consolation try during a miserable afternoon for Leeds.

Victory for Salford, combined with Wakefield's defeat by bottom side Toulouse, moves them above Leeds into ninth place and two points off eighth-placed Warrington.

Smith, appointed in April after Richard Agar stood down in March, was overseeing his first game in charge of the club due to Leeds not being in action last weekend in the Challenge Cup.

Salford were dealt a blow just before kick-off when Sam Luckley was replaced at short notice by Harvey Livett, with Amir Bourouh a late call-up on to the bench.

They were unfazed, however, and led when Deon Cross teed up Sio to cross, while some good work from Livett eventually saw Tim Lafai set up Burgess to send them 10-0 ahead.

Leeds' response came when Handley linked onto a superb pass from Rhyse Martin to touch down, but Salford went in at the break with a 12-point lead courtesy of Ackers - who worked onto Brodie Croft's deflected grubber kick.

Salford Red Devils boss Paul Rowley told BBC Radio Manchester:

"It feels really good. I'm quite emotional because when you watch the effort the boys put in and see the adversity they go through to get the reward, it's almost in a fatherly way that you're proud of them.

"There's flu, Covid, painkilling injections, it's ridiculous, really. Six or seven players shouldn't have played today.

"To get a double over Leeds is quite impressive. We're seeing the best of Brodie Croft and he can only get better."

Leeds Rhinos head coach Rohan Smith:

"I thought we let ourselves down in some critical moments. We weren't willing to take our time after we created inroads and I don't think we built enough pressure.

"I'm still getting to know the players and see how they think but it's too soon for me to know why those players made the mistakes.

"I am a calm character on the outside but I was frustrated on the inside. There was no lack of effort but there was a lack of execution for sure.

"I thought we defended well in the second half and we had five or six players who haven't played for a while so there are some positives."

Salford: Brierley, Sio, Cross, Lafai, Burgess, Croft, Sneyd, Vuniyayawa, Ackers, Ormondroyd, Watkins, Livett, Taylor.

Interchanges: Addy, Escare, Bourouh, Dupree.

Leeds: Myler, Handley, Broadbent, Hardaker, Fusitua, Austin, Leeming, Smith, Martin, Bentley, Tetevano, Dwyer, Oledzki.

Interchanges: Walters, Donaldson, Thompson, O'Connor.

Referee: J. Child.

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