Salford RLFC got back to winning ways with a win over Workington Town on Sunday.
Dave Hewitt’s side started the game with high intensity, something the team had been working on in training this week.
An early knock-on from Workington Town meant Kieran Dixon could capitalise from a quick play from a scrum, 10 metres out from the try line.
Four minutes later, Salford added a second try thanks to Jack Bibby going over in front of the South Stand faithful.
However, in a matter of minutes, the away side responded through Zarrin Galea, and it could have been two successive tries if it were not for the Reds’ great goal-line defence.
As pressure mounted on the possibility of another Town try, Salford replied with a third powerful try from Oli Garmston, who went over on the left edge.
The home side did not rest on their laurels, as captain Brad Dwyer put in a huge tackle on the halfway line, which freed the ball up for Cole Oakley to take and quickly run over with no Workington players around him.
At this point, the Reds were running riot at the CorpAcq Stadium.
Garmston nearly added a second try for the afternoon but was denied by an offside play.
A superb piece of individual kicking play from Logan Blacker ended up as a try, with the Cumbrian side showing no signs of giving up at 22-8.
Just before half-time, Owain Abel made a fantastic try-saving tackle 20 metres from Salford’s try line to ensure the 12-point lead would stay intact at the break.
Abel, on his first start for the club, made a superb 40-20 kick, which resulted in Reece Stanton eventually scoring his first try for the club in the 44th minute.
Not long after that brilliantly worked try, hooker Joe Baldwin was sent to the sin-bin, but Salford did not fold.
With Callum Green making an ever-so-important try-saving interception on Workington’s last play, the Reds gained some huge yardage.
This then allowed Salford loanee Nathan Lowe to go over for their sixth try of the afternoon, thanks to brilliant hands from Abel and Joe Hartley on the left edge.
However, Jonty Gorley’s side responded after a misplaced pass by Dixon 10 metres out, which Tuarae Rawhiti pounced on to make the score 32-14.
But Salford’s never-say-die attitude took centre stage again when an offload from Lewis Pilling saw Dwyer terrorise the Workington defence and open up space for Garmston to go over again for the Reds.
With Baldwin back on the pitch, Hewitt’s side were now in cruise control with 17 minutes to go, but Workington kept hitting back through a powerful finish from Jack Ainley.
Two minutes later, Garmston completed his hat-trick, thanks to the brilliance of Abel making another huge line break, followed by Hartley’s quick-thinking pass to Salford’s number 12 to score.
A strong run from Galea with eight minutes to go saw him ground the ball to add Town’s final score of the day.
Dwyer, eight metres out from Workington’s try line, took matters into his own hands and made a quick play for himself in the 76th minute.
However, Salford were not finished yet.
As Man of the Match, Abel went over for his first try in Salford colours following an outstanding first start for the 25-year-old.
That win moves Salford up to 11th in the Betfred Championship, two points away from the play-offs.
Daniel Burton
