Super League play-offs: Huddersfield Giants 0-28 Salford Red Devils - Visitors to face St Helens in semi-final

Ryan Brierley (right) scored his 11th try of the season for Salford

Salford beat Huddersfield Giants in the Super League play-off eliminator to set up a semi-final at St Helens.

The away side took charge early on through tries from Joe Burgess and Kallum Watkins.

Ryan Brierley touched down from a grubber kick as the Red Devils added to their lead and Andy Ackers sealed victory in the final minute.

Leeds Rhinos, who won away at Catalans Dragons on Friday, will travel to Wigan Warriors in the other semi-final.

Wigan will host Leeds on Friday, while reigning champions St Helens entertain Salford the following day.

• Relive Salford's play-off win at Huddersfield

The game was preceded by a minute's silence to mark the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on Thursday and players of both sides wore black armbands.

During her reign, the Queen was patron of the Rugby Football League and presented the Challenge Cup at Wembley in both 1960 and 1967.

Huddersfield and Salford players observed a minute's silence before the game as a mark of respect following the death of Queen Elizabeth II

Huddersfield, led by former Red Devils coach Ian Watson, had only lost once at home all year in the regular season but they were outclassed by the Red Devils.

Burgess went over in the corner after some quick hands and Watkins made it back-to-back scores when he ran in after the visitors broke through the middle.

The home side sought a way back into the game after half-time but Brierley, who had been sin-binned in the first half for a shoulder charge, grounded the ball under the posts from a Marc Sneyd grubber kick to leave them trailing 22-0 with 30 minutes to play.

Huddersfield did force three goal-line drop-outs from the visitors but they were unable to turn their pressure into points in the face of excellent defence.

Ackers completed Salford's victory with a breakaway try in the last minute.

The Red Devils will be without Man of Steel nominee Brodie Croft in next week's semi-final against Saints after the half-back failed a head injury assessment, which forced him out of the game at half-time.

Huddersfield head coach Ian Watson:

"It's probably the most disappointing way we could have finished.

"We didn't start so well. We looked like we'd been punched in the face and didn't know what to do about it.

"We finished third and got to a Challenge Cup final so it's been a massive step forward but this is going to sting and we've got to wait a long time before we can respond.

"We've learned a lot this year and no doubt we'll be competing again next season."

Salford head coach Paul Rowley:

"[On Brodie Croft] It's a big blow but sometimes it's not meant to be. There's another game the week after and I guess it's the job of the rest of the squad to ensure Brodie gets another outing to enable him to play on the biggest stage of all.

"He's gutted, he's a competitor and he wants to feature in big games but he'll get over today. He's fine now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with him physically. It's sport and he gets that."

"It was a win for character and commitment.

"Our start was good, we played really smart and completed really high which put a lot of pressure on Huddersfield early."

Huddersfield Giants: Lolohea, Cudjoe, King, Leutele, Senior, Fages, Russell, Yates, Jones, McQueen, Hill, Levi, Trout.

Interchanges: Pryce, Greenwood, Ikahihifo, English.

Salford: Brierley, Sio, Lafai, Cross, Burgess, Croft, Sneyd, Dupree, Ackers, Gerrard, Watkins, Taylor, Wright.

Interchanges: Vuniyayawa, Atkin, Ormondroyd, Luckley.

Sin-bin: Brierley (25)

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