Hull 14 Salford 44 Match Report
We so often are forced to report of how poor weather and difficult playing conditions have prevented teams from delivering the best of performances, but Salford’s U19s turned that tale on its head, on Wednesday afternoon, by producing a top class performance to return form Hull with the most convincing of wins.
Visits to Humberside are seldom fruitful in terms of points scored, or victories won, but the buoyant Red Devils took advantage of the chance of showing just what they could do, with ball in hand, when the elements are on their side, to overcome the endeavours of their hosts by a clean thirty points.
Their ascendency and dominance had to be earned, however, for in the early stages there was little to choose between the teams, with both sides testing each other to the full. Indeed, the Reds’ defence had to be at its best, during this period, to withstand the degree of pressure under which it was placed. So much so, that Euan Hayes’s opening score was quickly countered by the Yorkshiremen, leaving only Jack Stevens’s conversion to separate the sides.
The Red Devils’ pack, however, had done so much, by then, to get on top, that it was only a matter of time before their lead was extended by Josh Wagstaffe’s converted try, and suddenly they were on a roll, with further tries taking the half time score to 4-22.
Try as they might, the home side, thereafter, were seldom in the hunt, as the Salford forwards continued to lay the platform from which the backs were able to produce some enterprising and enjoyable rugby. When required to do so, however, their defensive effort was such that it not only repelled the attack with competence, it also forced a number of handling errors from the opposition which unsettled them even further.
And so the tries continued, into the second half, with Hull getting in on the act, with two of their own towards the end of the game, the second of which was converted, but by then the Reds had notched up forty points, and still added a final one in between the two from their hosts.
Coach Danny Barton, was, understandably, delighted with his charges, their attitude, their efforts, and the performance,
He summed it up, thus, “Hull is an extremely tough place to go, but the conditions were good, and both teams tried to take advantage of this by playing fast, open, rugby. We just did it a little better than they did.
“I was particularly delighted with one try, in which the ball was swept beautifully along the line from right to left, with our winger, Myles Paul, crossing in the corner. Everything in that move just came right, including the insertion of fullback, Nathan Connel, into the line, to provide the extra man.”
Next week, the U19s will be entering a team into the nine-aside competition, at Headingley, whilst April 20th will bring their final home match of the season against Furness Raiders.
Salford Scorers:
Tries: Euan Hayes, Josh Wagstaffe (2), Myles Paul, Jack Stevens, Ellis Kelly, Louis Lord, Nathan Connell
Goals: Jack Stevens (6)
