LEEDS RHINOS 42 SALFORD RED DEVILS 6
PHIL CAPLAN, AMT Headingley, Friday
A DOMINANT second half, with Jake Connor heavily involved, saw Leeds run in five unanswered tries, subdue a spirited Salford effort and return to fourth spot.
The visitors had a real dig, trailing by only four points at the break with former Saracens academy player Declan Murphy outstanding in only his second game.
But they faded after the break, especially when Matty Foster was sin-binned for a professional foul, and the final scoreline – aided by an Alfie Edgell hat-trick – did not do justice to their efforts.
Leeds, without Mikolaj Oledzki and Tom Holroyd, saw James Bentley start and Presley Cassell make his first-team debut off the bench in the second half.
Salford – whose head coach Paul Rowley called notions of a strike by his senior players that threatened to put the clash in danger “bull” – were without Esan Marsters, Jayden Nikorima and Loghan Lewis, all injured in their second win of the season against Castleford.
Charlie Glover was among their substitutes, Dan Russell an unlikely centre and Ryan Brierley in the halves with Murphy starting at fullback.
On a glorious evening, in a carnival atmosphere, Leeds were denied at the end of their opening set. Harry Newman was deemed to have knocked-on Connor’s kick, ruling out Kallum Watkins’ touchdown against his former club.
The visitors grew into the game and Chris Hankinson was just held out before Edgell’s first two tries came in quick succession.
Ash Handle’s audacious flick allowed Edgell to open the scoring in the 18th minute and the young winger was in again from the restart, Newman heavily involved on the right and Connor providing a sweet, lobbed assist from the switch of play and then converting from the touchline.
Salford responded well with Ryan Brierley chipping over and just grounding the ball in the in-goal area after confirmation from the video ref which overturned the on-field ruling of no-try.
And at the very end of a highly encouraging half for the Red Devils, Murphy was denied a spectacular try as an obstruction ruled out his 50-metre effort.
Murphy diffused a Connor kick at the start of the second period, but the Leeds playmaker sent Watkins on a run and, on the last, Lachlan Miller over.
Jarrod O’Connor then broke and when Salford were caught offside, Leeds showed them the ultimate respect by taking the two points via Connor.
Further damage was done by Foster’s yellow card for a professional foul and, from the tap penalty, Watkins and Connor sent Edgell in for his hat-trick.
When Sam Lisone trampled Jack Ormondroyd and Salford gave away a penalty, O’Connor and Newman set Handley free and Bentley provided the pass for Newman to go over.
Cassell won a penalty with his first charge, from which Brodie Croft sent in James McDonnell for the third try during Foster’s absence.
A forward pass from Miller prevented Ryan Hall sending in Newman again, and Hall couldn’t go the length of the field taking an Oliver Russell kick.
Connor kicked a booming 40/20 and then sent Cooper Jenkins in on the back of it to wrap up victory,
GAMESTAR: Jake Connor had a hand in most of the Leeds tries and kicked seven goals, but Alfie Edgell’s finishing was excellent.
GAMEBREAKER: Edgell’s hat-trick try to make it 24-6 eased Leeds to a comfortable victory.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: Alfie Edgell’s second try rippled through eight pairs of hands from right to left and ended with a superb, lobbed pass from Jake Connor.
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Alfie Edgell (Leeds)
2 pts Declan Murphy (Salford)
1 pt Jake Connor (Leeds)
MATCHFACTS
RHINOS
1 Lachlan Miller
5 Ryan Hall
3 Harry Newman
4 Ash Handley
21 Alfie Edgell
6 Brodie Croft
18 Jake Connor
17 Cooper Jenkins
14 Jarrod O’Connor
10 Keenan Palasia
11 James Bentley
12 James McDonnell
28 Kallum Watkins
Subs (all used)
13 Cameron Smith
15 Sam Lisone
29 Presley Cassell (D)
9 Andy Ackers
18th man (not used)
30 George Brown
Also in 21-man squad
23 Riley Lumb
24 Ben Littlewood
27 Ethan Clark-Wood
Tries: Edgell (18, 21, 52), Miller (44), Newman (56), McDonnell (59), Jenkins (73)
Goals: Connor 7/8
RED DEVILS
57 Declan Murphy
2 Ethan Ryan
23 Chris Hankinson
52 Dan Russell
28 Nathan Connell
1 Ryan Brierley
44 Oliver Russell
18 Jack Ormondroyd
9 Joe Mellor
10 Chris Hill
22 Matty Foster
53 Tom Whitehead
13 Joe Shorrocks
Subs (all used)
30 Tiaki Chan
24 Harvey Wilson
27 Kai Morgan
29 Charlie Glover
18th man (not used)
19 Justin Sangaré
Also in 21-man squad
41 Finley Yates
50 Toby Warren
51 Sam Hill
Tries: Brierley (25)
Goals: Hankinson 1/1
Sin bin: Foster (52) – professional foul
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 10-0, 10-6; 16-6, 18-6, 24-6, 30-6, 36-6, 42-6
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Rhinos: Alfie Edgell; Red Devils: Declan Murphy
Penalty count: 7-2
Half-time: 10-6
Referee: Liam Rush
Attendance: 11,843