Leeds claim victory at Salford for first league win

Betfred Super League

Salford (6) 6

Tries: Watkins Goals: Sneyd

Leeds (14) 32

Tries: Lumb 2, Gannon, Handley, Bentley, Hall Goals: Connor 4

Leeds Rhinos bounced back from a disappointing opening-day defeat with a convincing Super League victory against Salford Red Devils at the Salford Community Stadium.

Two first-half tries from winger Riley Lumb and one each from Morgan Gannon, Ash Handley, James Bentley and Ryan Hall earned the Rhinos a deserved win in Greater Manchester.

A second-minute try from Kallum Watkins had given Salford - playing their first game since a takeover - an early lead.

Leeds' victory was marred somewhat by a head injury suffered by Brodie Croft, who had to be stretchered off the field following a lengthy delay.

In a frantic opening to the match, Marc Sneyd's excellent kick from his own half earned the hosts a 40-20, and from it, Salford captain Watkins barged over the line to score before Leeds had ball in hand.

The visitors settled into the match, however, and a measured kick from Jake Connor almost found Lumb before Salford full-back Ryan Brierley batted the ball out for a goal-line drop out.

Sneyd's short goal-line kick was retrieved by the Rhinos and after receiving another set of six, Connor's tidy grubber-kick found Lumb to dive over and score in the corner.

Leeds took the lead when first-half replacement Gannon reacted first after receiving a kind ricochet from another kick from Connor to powerfully reach over the line under pressure from four Salford defenders.

Nine minutes later, Leeds created an overload on the left hand side and quick hands from Handley allowed Lumb to have the simplest of tasks to score his second of the match.

Just before half-time, ex-Red Devil Croft suffered his injury after clashing heads with Jack Ormondroyd in the midst of a tackle from Joe Shorrocks, who was sent to the sin-bin in the aftermath.

After a delay of almost 10 minutes, Croft was stretchered from the field however the club later said he was walking around following treatment and he eventually watched some of the second half from the stands.

Super League history was made in the second-half, when the Super League's first-ever successful captain's challenge was given by video referee Liam Rush after it was judged Salford's Jayden Nikorima had ripped the ball out of the grasp of Handley following an on-field knock-on call.

Moments later, great footwork from Handley then allowed him to gather and score next to the sticks as Rhinos extended their lead to 16 points and take the game out of sight.

Salford, who fielded an entirely different 13 from the team that started last Saturday's 82-0 humiliation by St Helens last weekend, began to take risks in possession and a midfield pass from Shorrocks was intercepted by Bentley who ran clear to score Leeds' fifth try.

With the clock running down, veteran winger Hall scored his first Super League try for Leeds since returning to the club to put gloss on the Rhinos' victory.

The result ended a tumultuous seven days for the Red Devils who are under investigation for their squad selection in their heavy defeat by St Helens while the sustainability cap - which led to them having to field a side made up mostly of reserve players last week - was lifted three days later.

Salford Red Devils coach Paul Rowley told BBC Radio Manchester:

"We were well beaten today and we have to improve and move forward. Leeds were far better than us today.

"We started really energetically but after the first 20 minutes, we fell off a cliff in terms of our intensity in defence and, as a result, it snowballed which culminated in some sloppiness in attack as well."

On the completion of Salford's takeover in the week:

"I feel more happy for the fans to be honest because there's so much history and heritage at this club and people have been coming for such a long time - dads, grandads.

"For the fans to have the day, you could feel the relief. The sun shone on them as well so it was fantastic in that respect for them."

Leeds Rhinos coach Brad Arthur told BBC Radio Leeds:

"They're the sort of wins that you really enjoy and you're proud of as a coach. Anything that could have gone wrong for us, in terms of a positional sense, did - especially when we lost Crofty [Brodie Croft].

"They're a good football side and they tested us. It was a big improvement from last week when we chased the scoreboard and we didn't back ourselves for what we needed to do for 80 minutes."

On Brodie Croft's injury:

"Crofty is in good spirits which is great. He'll have to miss a week minimum because of the protocols but he seems in a really good head space."

Salford: Brierley; MacDonald, Marsters, Lafai, Cross; Nikorima, Sneyd; Singleton, Atkin, Hill, Wright, Watkins, Shorrocks.

Interchanges: Hankinson, Sangare, Foster, Ormondroyd.

Sin-bin: Shorrocks.

Leeds: Connor; Lumb, Handley, Newman, Hall; Croft, Frawley; Palasia, Ackers, Jenkins, Bentley, McDonnell, Smith.

Interchanges: O'Connor, Lisone, Holroyd, Gannon.

Referee: Liam Moore.