Challenge Cup semi-final: Wigan 27-14 Salford

Correspondent

Wigan Warriors set up a mouth-watering Challenge Cup Final against current holders Hull FC with a gritty win against Salford Red Devils at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, writes Ian Judson.

The Super League and World Club champions tried their best to waste a very positive start but eventually stretched over the line in their 47th semi-final.

The Warriors earned their place at Wembley keeping Salford scoreless in the second half as the rain lashed down at Warrington.

The headline before kick-off was the inclusion of Manu Vatuvei on the wing to make his debut for the Red Devils, while Tyrone McCarthy started on the bench.

Wigan coach Shaun Wane decided to go with Tom Davies on the wing ahead of teenage starlet Liam Marshall.

The semi-final also threw up a big family confrontation as Wigan brothers Sam and Joel Tomkins were pitted against Salford’s Logan.

The Red Devils had playmaker Robert Lui missing, his place in the line-up was taken by former Dally M winner Todd Carney.

The Red Devils started like a house on fire, almost forcing a goal line drop out with the first tackle of the game, then forcing a mistake to give them an early scrum, but the chance was wasted as a short kick was gobbled up by Sam Tomkins.

A soft penalty presented the Warriors with their first territory and possession and an outrageous pass from Anthony Gelling seemed to get Davies in for the first try, but a video review showed he had a foot in touch.

Vatuvei’s first major involvement was to drop the ball in a big tackle on the former Kiwi international, giving the Warriors more territory and possession, Davies got in at the corner again, only to be denied by referee James Child because of a forward pass.

The first try duly arrived for Wigan as George Williams ran at the defensive line on the last tackle, and a deft pass from Willie Isa put Oliver Gildart over, Williams then added the extras with the boot.

A break by Sam Tomkins saw the Warriors flooding forward again, followed up by a barnstorming run by John Bateman, from which Salford gave away another soft penalty, which Williams used to make it an eight point lead for the champions.

The next Wigan attack forced a goal line drop out as Evalds had to take the ball dead, from that chance the Red Devils defence fell apart and Willie Isa sprinted over into the corner, Williams was wide of the mark with the conversion.

The match was fast becoming a procession as the Super League, and World Club champions moved inexorably towards the Salford line with monotonous regularity, until a first penalty of the game for Salford handed them an opportunity to attack.

However organised Wigan defence easily held them at bay, with Ian Watson’s side looking devoid of ideas to try and open up the Warriors defence.

Another penalty, followed up with a march ten metres further for dissent gave the Red Devils a further chance, this was followed up with another penalty.

From the possession Greg Johnson crossed in the corner to establish there were still two team in this semi-final, Michael Dobson was on target from the touchline to reduce the arrears further.

A break from Johnson straight from the restart set up another attacking chance, and from a Dobson grubber Tyrone McCarthy caused wild celebrations beating Leuluai to ground the ball, Dobson was on target to level the scores.

A 40/20 from Carney suddenly saw Salford throwing everything at the Wigan line again, compounded by a repeat set, but Leuluai conceded a goal line drop out saving another try by grabbing a deft grubber.

The game saw another sensation as McCarthy chased a kick, but was interfered with by Tomkins which saw the Wigan man despatched to the sin bin, Dobson added the two points to put Salford in front for the first time.

Penalties were starting to kill the Warriors, and they conceded another when Williams was pulled up for a high shot on Kris Welham, but a fumble by Ben Murdoch-Masila surrendered the possession close to the Wigan line.

The 12 men started to rest back the initiative with a penalty giving them an increasingly rare look at the Red Devils line, but a chance for a repeat set was denied for them when Joe Burgess was spotted in an offside position by referee James Child.

Half Time: Wigan Warriors 12 Salford Red Devils 14

The second half burst into life as a Tomkins break was backed up by Burgess, the England winger dived for the corner but was denied by video referee Ben Thaler as he seemed to lose the ball just in front of the line in a tackle by Evalds.

Wigan forced another goal line drop out as a Williams kick was rescued by Evalds, but the full-back was forced into touch in goal by a fast covering Warriors defence.

Wigan pressed the Red Devils line from the drop out, but a desperate play from Gildart on the last tackle saw them surrender possession with a knock-on.

A measure of how much Salford had grown into the semi-final was shown as the Warriors were awarded a penalty in front of the posts, and uncharacteristically decided to go for goal to level the scores, Williams duly obliged.

A harsh penalty for the Warriors given against Lama Tasi saw the Warriors again going for goal to retake the lead, but Williams fired the chance wide.

Wigan then tried to spread play wide, but it was a strangely laboured move, and Burgess was easily forced into touch near halfway to present Salford with another chance to test the Wigan defence.

However a nothing kick from Dobson went dead with nobody near, giving Wigan a 20 metre restart and a seven tackle set, this time the attack was more incisive and Mcilorum collected Burgess’ kick inside to score, Williams added the extras.

Tomkins was instrumental in the next chance for Wigan as he repeated his drop goal trick from the quarter final at the same ground to make it a two score lead for the champions with 15 minutes remaining.

As the rain hammered down another knock-on by Salford daw the pendulum swing further back in Wigan’s favour, but the opportunity was wasted as Burgess’ nightmare continued as he surrendered possession again.

Another 40/20 from Carney shifted the momentum again, with Gelling becoming the second player to be sent to the sin-bin, however a knock-on again from Salford saw the chance bombed for the time being.

But another knock-on from Gildart saw Salford presented with another chance to stretch the 12-men defence, backed up with a penalty as Krasniqi was stripped of the ball.

But the chance was wasted again as a short grubber was grabbed by Williams, as a potential penalty for Salford was ignored after Carney was taken out off the ball by Isa, with the Wigan man being the third to be put on report.

Wigan’s know-how was seeing them through this intense but low quality semi-final, as Salford tried anything and everything but ultimately fell short with plenty of endeavour but a lack of a quality cutting edge.

Finally Gildart put the icing on the cake with his second try in the final minute to confirm the Warriors victory, as they head to Wembley to face off with Cup Holders Hull FC, where people will hope for a classic.

Squads:

Wigan Warriors: Sam Tomkins, Tom Davies, Anthony Gelling, Oliver Gildart, Joe Burgess, George Williams, Thomas Leuluai, Frank-Paul Nuuausala, Michael McIlorum, Ryan Sutton, John Bateman, Willie Isa, Sean O’Loughlin: Interchange: Joel Tomkins, Tony Clubb, Sam Powell, Taulima Tautai

Salford Red Devils: Niall Evalds, Greg Johnson, Kris Welham, Junior Sa’u, Manu Vatuvei, Todd Carney, Michael Dobson, Lama Tasi, Logan Tomkins, Craig Kopczak, Ben Murdoch-Masila, Josh Jones, Weller Hauraki: Interchange: Gareth O’Brien, Olsi Krasniqi, Tyrone McCarthy, George Griffin

Scorers:

Wigan Warriors: Tries: Oliver Gildart (8, 80) Willie Isa (17) Michael McIlorum (61) Goals: George Williams 5/7 Sam Tomkins drop goal

Salford Red Devils: Tries: Greg Johnson (23) Tyrone McCarthy (26) Goals: Michael Dobson 3/3