Salford Red Devils fell to a 29-6 defeat to champions St. Helens in the first game of the 2021 Betfred Super League season.
The season opener at the Emerald Headingley Stadium was Richard Marshall’s first Super League test as Salford’s head coach, with five debutants featuring in tonight’s defeat for the Red Devils.
Tommy Makinson opened the scoring for Saints within two minutes, collecting a chipped kick and grounding the ball in the right corner.
Saints’ Regan Grace slid over on the left wing five minutes before half-time to extend his side’s lead, with Jack Welsby scoring a drop-goal right on the hooter to make it 13-0 at the interval.
Half-time: St. Helens 13-0 Salford Red Devils
Salford came out looking sharper in the second forty and got themselves on the scoreboard in the 55th minute.
Tui Lolohea found Ken Sio on the right wing with an outrageous pass, setting his teammate up to stroll over with ease for our first try of the 2021 season.
Saints responded five minutes later through Mark Percival, who rose to collect a Theo Fages kick before touching the ball down.
Two more tries in the final 10 minutes from Kevin Naiqama and Alex Walmsley confirmed defeat for Marshall’s men in their first runout of 2021.
Fulltime: St. Helens 29-6 Salford Red Devils
St. Helens: Welsby, Makinson, Naiqama, Percival, Grace, Lomax, Fages, Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Thompson, Bentley, Mata’utia, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Amor, Paasi, Smith.
Salford Red Devils: Sarginson, Sio, Watkins, Kear, Inu, Lolohea, Brown, Mossop, Addy, Ikahihifo, Livett, Lannon, Taylor, Pauli, Ormondroyd, Wells, Patton.
Saints tries: Makinson, Grace, Percival, Naiqama, Walmsley.
Saints goals: Makinson (4/6)
Saints drop-goals: Welsby
Salford tries: Sio
Salford goals: Inu
Referee: Liam Moore
Image credit: Steve McCormick
