Sneyd helps Salford stun Wembley losers Warrington

Betfred Super League

Warrington (0) 14

Tries: Tai 2, Ashton Goals: Drinkwater

Salford (19) 25

Tries: Cross 2, MacDonald, Sneyd Goals: Sneyd 4 Drop-goals: Sneyd

Warrington Wolves suffered a real Challenge Cup hangover as they failed to come back from a Salford Red Devils first-half try barrage.

Scores from Nene MacDonald, Deon Cross and Marc Sneyd, who also kicked three two-pointers and a drop-goal, earned Salford a 19-0 lead.

Two unconverted second-half tries in five minutes by Rodrick Tai and Matty Ashton gave Wire hope but Sneyd closed the door with a beautiful kick to the corner from which Cross added his second try.

Tai at least earned the final score of the night, to which Josh Drinkwater added a touchline conversion - but it could not prevent Sam Burgess's beaten Wembley finalists going down to a third straight league and cup defeat.

Marc Sneyd scored 13 of Salford's 25 points at the Halliwell Jones Stadium

With main playmaker George Williams missing from the Wire team beaten by Wigan six days before, the hosts put in an ineffectual first-half performance.

After MacDonald's early converted try, Sneyd's boot quickly added a penalty.

Cross then dummied his way past Dufty for the second try and, although the conversion attempt was missed, Ethan Ryan and Kallum Watkins combined to send in Sneyd under the posts himself - and the try-scorer iced his own cake.

Having added a one-pointer to further cement his side's interval advantage, Salford's defence was finally breached by two tries in quick succession midway through the second half.

It took over five minutes before Tai's first try was finally allowed. Then, in less time on the field than it took the off-field team to run through the previous score, they crossed again when Toby King found winger Ashton.

But Sneyd had another trick left in his locker when his delightfully placed kick to the corner was pounced on by Cross for his second try of the night.

Tai also bagged a second try with the last play of the game, improved by a touchline kick from Josh Drinkwater - but it was purely for cosmetic purposes.

Warrington boss Sam Burgess:

"They scored three long-range tries, three breakaway tries in the space of 10 minutes, which shocked us.

"I didn't throw the book at them because I don't think it works. It was a couple of moments. We just have to be better in the moment which comes down to doing your jobs individually. Literally three plays in the first half hurt us.

"They don't give in at all. I love their effort. I have never questioned that. They fought until the end. At 19-0 they could have easily not had a go but that's not the case.

"We're just in a period we have to get through which will test us but we've been tested before."

Salford head coach Paul Rowley:

"This group is pretty special. They got what they deserved. They worked really hard played with bravery and executed with good skill.

"We understand Warrington came off the back of an emotional week at Wembley. We won't get carried away but we're allowed to enjoy a good win against a good team.

"We just want to keep chipping away at big clubs like Warrington. We don't get mentioned in the same breath as the bigger clubs with more resource and higher expectations as well, which is a strength of ours because there is no expectation.

"When we have our best players on the park, we can do things. Marc Sneyd is just a good, humble lad enjoying his rugby. That shines through in him. He's a talisman. He's old school, he thinks and plays ahead like good players do and when times are stressful on the field and everybody doesn't want the ball, he does. To have that sort of person in your ranks, we are very lucky."

Warrington: Dufty; Tai, King, Wrench, Ashton; Ratchford, Drinkwater; Musgrove, Walker, Vaughan, Nicholson, Holroyd, Currie.

Interchanges: Harrison, Bullock, Powell, Wood.

Salford: Hankinson; Ryan, Macdonald, Lafai, Cross; Atkin, Sneyd; Singleton, Mellor, Wright, Stone, Watkins, Partington.

Interchanges: Shorrocks, Dudson, Wilson, Lewis.

Referee: Aaron Moore.