Huddersfield 0-28 Salford: Red Devils advance to semi-finals but dealt major blow
Salford have advanced to the semi-finals following a 28-0 victory over Huddersfield at the John Smith’s Stadium.
However, it came at a cost. They will travel to St Helens next Saturday without influential half-back Brodie Croft, who failed a head injury assessment during the clash.
The victory also confirms that Wigan will face Leeds on the Friday at the DW Stadium.
Match report
Will Pryce, who kicked the winning conversion against Wakefield, was named on the bench for the hosts. Theo Fages returned and was named in the halves alongside Oliver Russell. Michael Lawrence, Ashton Golding and OIiver Wilson were all dropped by head coach Ian Watson.
Paul Rowley was without Dan Sarginson due to injury, while Joe Burgess returned on the wing.
The visitors opened the scoring on seven minutes through the boot of Marc Sneyd. The half-back converting a penalty for a high shot twenty metres out.
It was the Red Devils who also scored the first try of the tie on 13 minutes. Burgess crossing in the corner thanks to a slick back-line play from the scrum.
Man of Steel nominee Croft assisted Salford’s next from the restart. The former NRL half-back making a break up the middle and feeding Kallum Watkins to extend the lead to 14-0 in 15 minutes.
Things went from bad to worse for the hosts. Tui Lolohea kicked the restart out on the full, before conceding a penalty for Sneyd to extend the lead.
Salford full-back Ryan Brierley was sent to the sin-bin on 25 minutes for a late shot on a breaking Lolohea. However, the Giants couldn’t turn the man advantage into points.
Both sides were dealt with major blows before the break. Hooker Danny Levi and Salford’s Croft were forced from the field through injury.
HT: Huddersfield 0-16 Salford
Huddersfield did start the second half strongly but it was the Red Devils who continued scoring points. Brierley grounding a grubber kick from Sneyd under the posts to extend the lead to 22-0 and confirming their place in the semi-finals.
Hooker Andy Ackers sealed off the win in the final 60 seconds, doing it all himself and selling Lolohea a dummy to score in front of the travelling supporters.
FT: Huddersfield 0-28 Salford
Huddersfield: Lolohea, Cudjoe, King, Leutele, I.Senior, Russell, Fages, Trout, Levi, Hill, McQueen, Jones, Yates. Bench: Pryce, Greenwood, Ikahihifo, English.
Tries:
Goals:
Salford: Brierley, Sio, Cross, Lafai, Burgess, Croft, Sneyd, Dupree, Ackers, Wright, Taylor, Watkins, Gerrard. Bench: Luckley, Vuniyayawa, Atkin, Ormondroyd.
Tries: Burgess, Watkins, Brierley, Ackers
Goals: Sneyd 6/6
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