Salford Red Devils 36 Wakefield Trinity 0 Match Report
Salford Red Devils’ Ladies’ side hit the knock-out Cup trail blazing, last Sunday, with a dominant display which quickly subdued their Yorkshire visitors, Wakefield Trinity, rendering them pointless throughout, whilst ratcheting up a total of thirty-six points of their own.
Like most cup successes it was based on a strong powerhouse of forward aggression especially, backed up by slick skilful handling and pacey running from the backs, which enabled them to take total control in one of those great purple patches we all admire, early in the second half, when they ran up a total of sixteen points in a mere twelve minutes.
Alongside their physical prowess and individual talents, was the really fine way the team jelled together, and it was easy to forget just how short a period it has been that they had all been together, following an influx of new players over the close season.
It was that strength of teamwork which was to be fundamental for their first two tries, with both coming at the end of impressive sets which had seen them build up good field position, with progress unrelentingly made, up field, to their being within striking distance of the Wakefield line.
It was as early as the sixth minute that on the last tackle then, the ball was moved from right to left, and a beautifully timed pass from scrum half, Ellie Costello – sister of former Salford centre, Matty Costello, now with Barrow – put Alex Simpson over, close to the corner, for the first of what was to become a personal hat-trick for her.
Twelve minutes later, it was fullback, Anna Dennis, already earmarked as one to be watched, after her home debut against Sheffield a couple of weeks ago, who received a pass in broken field, and, having roved a short distance in search of an opening, picked her spot and scythed through the defence rounding first one and then another, to score between the posts, giving herself a straightforward conversion, for the first of her four successful kicks.
Having already crossed once, Simpson, now back in her left centre berth after having spent much of last season at fullback, pulled off an outrageous ball-steal, on the half-hour, to charge, unchallenged, to score between the posts.
Wakefield’s one real attacking threat came in the 34th minute, when they broke down their left flank, making good progress from it. Dennis’s defensive skills, however, were equal to her attacking ability, and she was able to snuff out the threat, with a competent, confident, possibly try-saving tackle, to ensure the Red Devils turned around at the interval 16-0 to the good.
Two minutes into the second half, Simpson completed her hat-trick, after having, once again, been set up by Costello, thereby opening up the floodgates for three more.
Four minutes later, substitute, Maddison Price, made a most determined surge through the smallest of gaps to the posts to make the score 26-0, and four minutes after that a long distance break by Dennis saw her hand on the ball, as she was being tackled by the cover defence, to the supporting Louise Fellingham, who capped her Player of the Match award, with a touchdown between the posts.
The curtain was eventually brought down on the scoring, on 62 mins, when Costello sent out a long wide pass to unmarked left winger, Marnie-Lee Kelly, to ground the ball in the corner.
With much to feel pleased about in their performance, the Salford players will look forward to welcoming the winners of the Rochdale v Bradford match, at home in the quarter final, next Sunday, and, with another performance of this calibre, must surely fancy their chances of making it through to the semis.
SALFORD
Anna Dennis, Lauren Ellison, Bethany Cox, Alex Simpson, Marnie-Lee Kelly, Louise Fellingham, Ellie Costello, Sophie Morris, Tamzin Corcoran, Kayleigh Bradshaw, Stephanie Gray, Caitlin Washington, Emily Bagguley
Interchanges:
Maddison Price, Liv Barnard, Abi Collins, Holly Waddington, Yasmin Parton Sotomayor, Hannah Wicks
