Super League: Salford Red Devils 6-26 Wigan Warriors - Matty Peet's side go third

Wigan celebrate Abbas Miski's try as they move third in Super League

Liam Farrell scored two tries as Wigan beat Salford to climb back into the top three of Super League.

The Warriors went into the match having won just one of their previous five league games and were up against an in-form home team.

They cracked a strong Salford defensive performance in the first half by scoring three second-half tries.

Salford were without stars Brodie Croft and Andy Ackers and lost another as Ryan Brierley suffered a head injury.

With Warrington Wolves losing to Castleford on Friday and Leigh being beaten by Catalans on Saturday, Salford's defeat meant that three of the top four going into this round of games lost this weekend, and the win placed Matty Peet's team four points behind the league-leading Dragons.

Last week's win at Wolves in the Challenge Cup quarter-finals galvanised Wigan after their poor run of league form, and they barely allowed Salford a sniff in front of a club record attendance of 7,854 at the Salford Stadium.

Salford defended stoutly in the first half but Harry Smith's kicking game was the key, and he sent in a grubber for Joe Shorrocks to open the scoring after the 20-minute mark.

Paul Rowley's team forged ahead as Ben Hellewell went over from Marc Sneyd's offload and Sneyd kicked the extras.

Salford's defence, however, was disrupted by the departure of Brierley for a head injury assessment, which he failed, forcing wing Ken Sio to play full-back, and Wigan exploited a resulting gap as Jai Field raced through and sent Farrell over.

Salford struggled to get a toe-hold in the game after the break, and Wigan cutely bluffed the Reds to score another try, lining up speed merchants Field and Bevan French on the left of a 15-metre scrum and then moving the ball right for Abbas Miski to crash over.

Jake Wardle sent Farrell over for his second try and Liam Marshall broke 80 metres as Salford pressed hard, to wrap up an eighth successive victory in this fixture.

Salford head coach Paul Rowley told BBC Radio Manchester:

"It was a good game in the first half in particular and the kicking game, or last play in good ball territory, was the difference between the two sides.

"They turned the ball over on their terms more than us and it provided them with a lot of possession and territory.

"It was all to play for at half-time and Wigan came out in the second half, were very direct and both teams showed moments where they looked vulnerable and tired.

"They won the ruck and that had a big bearing on the game. Credit to them, and lessons for us.

"Obviously you don't want to lose someone like Ryan (Brierley), or any full-back, but we covered it pretty well. Ken Sio did a great job there and (Matty) Costello came on the edge.

"Ryan was nursing an injury anyway, that's why Costello was on the bench. It's not the turning point in the game.

"He failed (his head injury assessment) so that's two games now.

On hand injury victim Brodie Croft returning next week: "I don't think so, and Andy Ackers misses it by about 17 hours."

Wigan head coach Matty Peet told BBC Radio Manchester:

"We were aware Salford were missing a few bodies, particularly Brodie Croft and Andy Ackers, big players for them, but still the way they move the ball and the strike they've got on the edges with the likes of (Kallum) Watkins, (Tim) Lafai and (Joe) Burgess, we knew we were going to be tested today, particularly at Salford.

"So to get away with the two points… I thought in the end we got away from them a little bit and controlled, particularly, the second half.

"Everyone committed to the job and the plan we had in play and it was workmanlike, very professional, with a few flashes of brilliance particularly through (Jake) Wardle and (Toby) King who had plenty of strike, and Jai Field with a few touches down the short side as well.

"It wasn't vintage but we got the job done.

"You shouldn't get carried away with the league table. It's much nicer going to bed knowing you're higher up but really it's about finding your best performances, not getting too high on the wins and too low on the losses."

Salford: Brierley, Sio, Cross, Lafai, Burgess, Atkin, Sneyd, Vuniyayawa, Bourouh, Sidlow, Watkins, Stone, Partington

Interchanges: Addy, Costello, Dupree, Hellewell (Ormondroyd)

Wigan: Field, Miski, King, Wardle, Marshall, French, Smith, Havard, O'Neill, Byrne, Shorrocks, Farrell, Smithies

Interchanges: Singleton, Hill, Mago, Cust (Nsemba)

Referee: Aaron Moore.

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