Salford thrash lacklustre Huddersfield

Betfred Super League

Salford (32) 60

Tries: Atkin, Brierley 3, Nikorima 2, Ryan, Wilson, Macdonald, Sneyd Goals: Sneyd 10

Huddersfield (0) 10

Tries: Hewitt, Rogers Goals: Russell

Salford Red Devils ran in an astonishing 10 tries against a hapless Huddersfield as the Giants succumbed to a fourth defeat in five Super League matches.

The home side scored five tries in each half with full-back Ryan Brierley notching his 19th career hat-trick.

Further Red Devils tries from Chris Atkin, Ethan Ryan, Harvey Wilson, Nene Macdonald, Marc Sneyd plus two from Jayden Nikorima meant it was a comfortable afternoon in the Salford sunshine for the home side.

Tries from Sam Hewitt and half-time substitute Fenton Rogers were mere consolations for the Giants.

Marc Sneyd scored 24 points for a rampant Salford Red Devils

Giants fans may have believed their side had turned a corner following their Magic Weekend win against Castleford Tigers last Sunday but the visitors were soon up against it as Atkin scored 10 minutes into his 100th appearance for the Red Devils.

Two minutes later, Giants second-row Andre Savelio was sent to the sin-bin for a high tackle on Loghan Lewis as Huddersfield pressed the self-destruct button.

One man up, the Red Devils took full advantage and Brierley scored twice in nine minutes to take the game away from the visitors.

Half-back Nikorima also scored twice in quick succession just before the half-time buzzer, including a stunning solo effort, to help put the Red Devils 32-0 up at the break.

The second half brought more of the same with Ethan Ryan and Harvey Wilson both scoring within six minutes of the restart.

Papua New Guinea international Macdonald then charged through the Giants defence to score 10 minutes later.

At this stage, the Giants had been reduced to 12 men once more following Oliver Russell's yellow card and by the time Sneyd had converted his own try, the Red Devils had opened up an eyewatering 54-0 lead.

Huddersfield rallied and added some respect to the scoreline through Hewitt's try on the hour mark.

Brierley completed his hat-trick with 12 minutes left before the Giants had the last word as Rogers squirmed under the sticks late on.

The win means the Red Devils leapfrog St Helens to fourth spot in the Super League standings while the Giants stay ninth.

'Embarrassing - felt like we quit' - reaction

Salford boss Paul Rowley:

"We take every week as it comes, we won't be back-flipping our way out of the stadium.

"I think we all understand there's twists and turns to come and all the teams are fighting like anything beneath us and we've got to play some teams ahead of us as well.

"So you can't predict the outcome but where we are at the minute we're masters of our own destiny and that's what we aspire to be."

Interim Huddersfield head coach Luke Robinson:

"I thought we started actually OK in that first five minutes but from that moment on, the 75 minutes afterwards, I was embarrassed, it was embarrassing.

"I can take losing but I can't take losing like that. In parts of the game I felt like we quit which is one of the most disrespectful things you can say to me as a player or as a person.

"I've never really quit and I don't like to be a part of organisations or teams that quit."

Salford: Brierley, Ryan, Macdonald, Hankinson, Cross, Nikorima, Sneyd, Singleton, Mellor, Lewis, Wright, Watkins, Atkin.

Interchanges: Bourouh, Shorrocks, Wilson, Bullock.

Huddersfield: Connor, McGowan, Bibby, Naiqama, Halsall, Lolohea, Russell, Hill, Golding, Savelio, Hewitt, Rushton, Cudjoe.

Interchanges: Rush, Ikahihifo, English, Rogers.

Sin-bin: Savelio (12), Russell (52).

Referee: Marcus Griffiths.