Salford Red Devils retained the Colin Dixon Memorial Trophy this evening with a 34-10 victory over Betfred Championship side Halifax Panthers.
Paul Rowley’s men opened the scoring after six minutes with an impressive bit of link-up play between Ryan Brierley and Ken Sio. Salford worked the ball right with Brierley finding Sio on the wing, who then returned the ball with a neat grubber kick into the in-goal area that Brierley was first to dive on.
Brierley doubled his try tally for the evening just four minutes later after Brodie Croft broke down the middle, weaving through a handful of Halifax players in the process, before kicking the ball towards the right wing for our number 1 to scoop up and stroll over with.
The visitors pulled one back in the 23rd minute through Joe Keyes, who spotted a gap and darted over to the left of the sticks.
Five minutes later, King Vuniyayawa powered through three Halifax players to crash over under the sticks just minutes after coming on.
Half-time: Salford Red Devils 16-4 Halifax Panthers
Halifax started the second forty on the front foot and were boosted when Joe Burgess saw yellow in the 49th minute for a professional foul.
Salford responded well though with another try just two minutes later. Amir Bourouh, who spent a loan spell at Halifax in 2021 during his time at Wigan Warriors, bundled over in the right corner to put Salford back in control of the arm wrestle.
Welsh international Rhys Williams got himself on the scoresheet for Salford 10 minutes later, after some fast hands down the right from his teammates gave him an almost clear route to the try-line.
The last Salford try of the night came courtesy of Matt Costello, who was gifted the ball from Halifax just metres out from their try-line.
The visitors responded just before the hooter with a try in the right corner, scored by James Saltonstall, but it was merely a consolation.
Full-time: Salford Red Devils 32-10 Halifax Panthers
Salford Red Devils: Brierley, Sio, Cross, Costello, Burgess, Croft, Sneyd, Gerrard, Ackers, Lannon, Wright, Taylor, Johnson, Akauola, Burke, Addy, Vuniyayawa, Atkin, Ormondroyd, Wells, Williams, Escare, Luckley, Bourouh, Stevens.
Halifax Panthers: Martin, Walmsley, Worthington, Arundel, McComb, Jouffret, Keyes, Murray, Wood, Tangata, Kavanagh, Barber, Knowles, Morris, Gwaze, Calcott, Fairbank, Larroyer, Oakley, Garside, Tibbs, Whitton, Saltonstall.
Image credit: Steve McCormick
