SALFORD RED DEVILS 6 WIGAN WARRIORS 46
DAVID KUZIO, Salford Community Stadium, Friday
JACOB DOUGLAS scored a hat-trick of tries as champions Wigan brushed aside Salford for the second time this season.
Douglas was named on the wing with Zach Eckersley moving to centre, which allowed Jake Wardle to have a rest, and he took his chance with both hands.
Matt Peet also opted to leave Bevan French on the bench as an unused substitute, while Kian McDermott came on in the second half as one of two debutants in the game – the other being Sam Hill on the wing for Salford.
Wigan launched the first attack of the game with Jai Field sending Douglas clear on the right. He was halted 20 metres from Salford’s line, and despite a fresh set of six the champions failed to capitalise with Hill pulling off a try saving tackle to dislodge the ball from Douglas.
His efforts counted for nothing though because Wigan took the lead moments later with Field picking up a grubber kick from Esan Marsters to race 90 metres. Keighran added the extras for a 6-0 lead.
Wigan were causing Salford a lot of problems down the Warriors‘ right and Junior Nsemba was denied a try after it was ruled the pass inside by Douglas had gone forward.
But the visitors looked dangerous with every attack and it was another great tackle from Hill that stopped Harry Smith from scoring.
A penalty for the Warriors gave them another crack at the line and Eckersley was held over the before the ball was spread right and Field sent Douglas in at the corner. Keighran failed to convert.
The writing was on the wall for Salford, but Wigan’s third try of the half had the home fans in uproar as they felt Harvie Hill had dropped the ball in the tackle.
From the play-the-ball, Keighran was sent clear on the right by Nsemba before sending over a kick for Field to chase and ground for his second try. The centre converted for a 16-0 lead.
The Red Devils regained the ball from the restart and they thought they should have been awarded a penalty try when Vaughan went down following a light collision with Jack Farrimond as he chased a Ryan Brierley kick, but it was ruled no-try on the field and by the video referee.
Brierley attempted a similar move in their next set, but it was collected by Farrimond and he broke through some poor defending before sending Douglas clear for his second. Keighran’s goal made it 22-0 at the break.
The opening stages of the second half were very scrappy with both teams making handling errors – Field was guilty on two occasions.
It took Wigan nine minutes to post their first points of the second half as a passing interchange between Liam Marshall and Eckersley saw the latter race away to score. Keighran made it 28-0.
And it was Keighran himself that scored next as he was put through a gap by Smith before outpacing the Salford defence to score.
Douglas completed his hat-trick in the 64th minute as he collected a pass from Nsemba to expertly touch down in the corner. Keighran converted as Wigan hit 40.
The loudest cheer of the night came in the 76th minute when the home side finally posted some points. Joe Shorrocks made a break up the middle following good work from Marsters before offloading to the supporting Nathan Connell to score. Chris Hankinson converted.
With seconds remaining, Wigan had the final say as Farrimond found himself on the end of a break from Douglas to cross over. Keighran made it 46-6.
GAMESTAR: Jacob Douglas took his rare start with both hands as he scored a hat-trick of tries.
GAMEBREAKER: Salford were never in this game – and they weren’t expected to be – but Jacob Douglas’ second try four minutes before half-time ended this game as a contest.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: This section is normally about an attacking play, but the way Adam Keighran sized up Jonny Vaughan in defence and hit him with a huge bellringer was a joy to watch.
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Jacob Douglas (Wigan)
2 pts Adam Keighran (Wigan)
1 pt Tyler Dupree (Wigan)
MATCHFACTS
RED DEVILS
28 Nathan Connell
51 Sam Hill (D)
45 Jonny Vaughan
11 Sam Stone
23 Chris Hankinson
17 Esan Marsters
1 Ryan Brierley
18 Jack Ormondroyd
27 Kai Morgan
20 Joe Bullock
22 Matty Foster
13 Joe Shorrocks
24 Harvey Wilson
Subs (all used)
19 Justin Sangaré
29 Charlie Glover
30 Tiaki Chan
50 Toby Warren
Tries: Connell (77)
Goals: Hankinson 1/1
WARRIORS
1 Jai Field
26 Jacob Douglas
22 Zach Eckersley
3 Adam Keighran
5 Liam Marshall
24 Jack Farrimond
7 Harry Smith
16 Liam Byrne
9 Brad O’Neill
19 Tyler Dupree
11 Junior Nsemba
8 Ethan Havard
13 Kaide Ellis
Subs
6 Bevan French (not used)
15 Patrick Mago
20 Harvie Hill
33 Kian McDermott (D)
18th man (not used)
27 Harvey Makin
Also in 21-man squad
4 Jake Wardle
12 Liam Farrell
17 Kruise Leeming
Tries: Field (7, 31), Douglas (16, 36, 64), Eckersley (49), Keighran (54), Farrimond (79)
Goals: Keighran 7/8
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-10, 0-16, 0-22; 0-28, 0-34, 0-40, 6-40, 6-46
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Red Devils: Esan Marsters; Warriors: Jacob Douglas
Penalty count: 3-6
Half-time: 0-22
Referee: Tom Grant
