A newfound confidence that bottom club, the Salford Red Devils, possessed from beating the Castleford Tigers last weekend came under scrutiny as Paul Rowley’s beleaguered side travelled to West Yorkshire to do battle with fifth placed Leeds Rhinos, their eyes firmly on a big win and a move into fourth place in the table.

The bookies gave the visitors less chance than those of a ‘snowball in hell’ as they gave them a fifty-two point start on the coupon with the Leeds Rhinos expected to pile on the pain and amass the points to give their own points difference a real boost.

Leeds were without a few of their stars, but Salford’s problems are well documented, and they had the disruption of no Esan Marsters and having to move skipper Ryan Brierley from full back to stand off.

Salford gave as good as they got in the opening fifteen minutes, keeping the Rhinos out and going close themselves on more than one occasion. But on eighteen the deadlock was finally broken, the Rhinos moving the ball to the left-hand side with Ash Handley putting on a flick pass for Alfie Edgell to go over in the corner. Jake Connor was wide with the touchline conversion attempt, but the scoreboard was moving to the relief of the South Stand.

It was scintillating play from the Rhinos three minutes later as they kept the ball alive from a break inside their own half. Edgell the man to take a Connor miss-out pass to ground one-handed in the corner for his second of the night as Leeds exploited the overlap. Connor added the conversion for 10-0.

A brilliant chip and chase from Ryan Brierley saw the Salford skipper ground the ball as he just managed to get it on the ground a split second before it hit the line. Chris Hankinson added the conversion, and the Red Devils were back within four.

It was a frustrating first half for the Rhinos which saw them with just a slender half time lead, but Salford were delighted with their effort and achievement, still in the game with forty remaining and hopeful of springing a major surprise in the second half.

Leeds stepped up the pace as the second half began. Kallum Watkins ran strongly but couldn’t find James Bentley and took the tackle. On the next play Lachlan Miller took an inside pass from Connor to ghost through the defence to score. Connor added the conversion, and the Rhinos were back ten ahead.

When Sam Lisone was tackled without the ball on forty-eight the ball was handed to Connor who kicked the penalty to extend the lead by two.

Foster was sin-binned on fifty-two after tackling Brodie Croft without the ball as he went to take the pass and score. On the first play from the resulting penalty Edgell went in for his hat-trick try down the right edge. Connor converted from the touchline, in off the far post, for a 24-6 lead. There was no way back for Salford.

A ballooning Harry Newman pass found Ash Handley who came inside and offloaded, the ball picked up off the floor by Newman who dived over to score. Connor added the goal for 30-6, Leeds now scoring at will.

On the hour mark James McDonnell got in on the act in a try made by debutant Presley Cassell who ran the angle before finding Croft to put in the flat pass to set the second rower free. Connor added the conversion.

A delightful Connor 40-20 gave Leeds the opportunity on seventy-three, Cooper Jenkins taking a short pass and crashing through the line for a simple try. Connor was on target for the seventh time in the game for 42-6.

The Rhinos win takes them up to fourth in the table, two clear of St Helens but still adrift of the top three. Salford put up a great battle in the first half, but the flood gates opened in the second as the Rhinos cruised to a big win, but not as big as the bookies and pundits expected.

Leeds Rhinos: Miller (T), Hall, Newman (T), Handley, Edgell (3T), Croft, Connor (G 7/8), Jenkins (T), O’Connor, Palasia, Bentley, McDonnell (T), Watkins. Subs: Ackers, Lisone, Smith, Cassell. 18^th Man: Brown. 

Salford Red Devils: Murphy, Ryan, Hankinson (G 1/1), Russell D, Connell, Brierley (T), Russell O, Ormondroyd, Mellor, Hill, Foster (SB on 52), Whitehead, Shorrocks. Subs: Morgan, Wilson, Glover, Chan. 18^th Man: Warren.

Half-Time: 10-6.

Full-Time: 42-6.  

Score Progression: 4-0, 8-0, 10-0, 10-4, 10-6 : HT: 14-6, 16-6, 18-6, (SB), 22-6, 24-6, 28-6, 30-6, 34-6, 36-6, 40-6, 42-6 :FT.

Lead Exchanges: Leeds.

Referee: Liam Rush.