Salford beat Giants for first Super League win

Betfred Super League

Salford (16) 23

Tries: Marsters, Wilson, Nikorima 2 Goals: Brierley 3 Drop-goal: Brierley

Huddersfield (0) 10

Tries: Swift, Lolohea Goal: Sutcliffe

Salford Red Devils put their off-field issues behind them as they comfortably beat fellow strugglers Huddersfield Giants for their first Super League win of the season.

Esan Marsters battered his way over to send Salford ahead and Harvey Wilson did well to barge in for Salford's second try within 20 minutes.

In a stunning Salford move, Jayden Nikorima touched down for their third of the half and he added a second after the break with ease as the hosts took control and never looked back.

Ryan Brierley added an audacious drop-goal in between Adam Swift and Tui Lolohea managing to spare winless Huddersfield's blushes with a pair of tries before the hooter.

Their first victory in five league matches was a much needed respite for the Red Devils who have been plagued with financial issues of late.

That uncertainty has seeped its way into first-team matters, leading to Paul Rowley's side losing their first four games including a record 82-0 defeat at St Helens in the season opener.

Yet they were good value for their victory, which started after Marsters scored his first Super League try of the season when he weaved his way through to the line to get the hosts going.

Salford weathered a Huddersfield offensive storm after getting on the scoreboard but went 10-0 up midway through the first half as former Giants prop Chris Hill put in the offload for Wilson to touch down.

The Red Devils' best was still to come as they shifted the ball with speed from deep inside their own half, as Ethan Ryan gained significant ground before teeing up Nikorima to go in unopposed.

Huddersfield's poor half was perhaps best summed up by a move right before half-time which saw Sam Halsall fumble Niall Evalds' promising pass to him on the wing, with the ball eventually rolling in to touch.

Evalds, signed from Hull KR on loan earlier this week, was unable to continue for the second half with Giants boss Luke Robinson saying post-match that he suspected he had broken his foot.

The Giants kept the pressure on and Halsall almost atoned for his earlier error but Salford hooker Chris Atkin thwarted his efforts in trying to ground a high kick for what would have been Huddersfield's first try.

Yet for all the visitors' effort at the start of the second half, it was Salford who extended their lead courtesy of Nikorima racing past the Giants' defence to score in fine fashion and bring his tally to five tries for the season.

Swift kept up his own fine try-scoring form with a his fourth in as many games and Lolohea touched down under the posts but it was much too little, much too late on a poor night for the visitors as they sank to a fifth consecutive defeat in Super League and sixth in all competitions.

Jayden Nikorima (right) has scored five tries in five games for Salford Red Devils this season

Salford Red Devils head coach Paul Rowley told BBC Radio Manchester:

"We've had a good week. I've enjoyed it. I'm proud of the week and what they've put into it. It's the first week we've had where we can actually concentrate on the detail.

"That translated for everyone to see. We looked connected. There were lovely interchanges between our middles and our backs showed some of that stardust that everybody has been accustomed to seeing.

"I'm not sure we can do that consistently week-in-week-out because we're thin on numbers but it's nice for them to enjoy playing, to play the way we want to play."

Huddersfield Giants boss Luke Robinson told BBC Radio Leeds:

"That's the worst performance of the season. Don't get me wrong, I thought Salford were really good, obviously with everything they've been going through.

"I thought we were really flat. I've come in every week and felt like we could have won every single game this season. Our performances have been really good but we've narrowly lost out in the second half. I can't say that tonight.

"I could use the excuse we had a short turnaround from Sunday to Thursday but I don't think it was. I don't think we showed enough energy or enthusiasm."

Salford: Connell; Ryan, Marsters, Watkins, Cross; Brierley, Nikorima; Hill, Atkin, Ormondroyd, Wright, Wilson, Shorrocks.

Interchanges: Morgan, Sangare, Bullock, Chan.

Huddersfield: Evalds; Swift, Milne, Bibby, Halsall; Lolohea, Sutcliffe; Rogers, Golding, English, Hewitt, Murchie, Cudjoe.

Interchanges: Deakin, Rushton, Wilson, Billington.

Referee: Tom Grant.