The Salford seventeen had plenty of changes for the home clash with North Wales. Mike Grady’s Crusaders arrived on the back of a real tough run of heavy defeats as the club looks to rebuild both on and off the field. It’s a very difficult situation the club finds itself in, particularly mid season after a positive start. 

Dave Hewitt moved Owain Abel to fullback with Lewis Pilling returning in the halves to partner Toby Hughes. Kieran Dixon started on the wing and the versatile Oli Garmston moved back in at centre. Youngster Owen Haldenby made the bench alongside hot prospect Riley Johnson.

It was a frustrating start made by the home side with incomplete sets aplenty in the opening minutes. It  needed someone to take the match by the scruff of the neck and Hughes was the man. He darted through a gap to score the opening try looking as sharp as ever. 

A high kick from Hughes caused problems for the Crusaders who came up with the error. On the next set the visitors gambled on an interception but the ball went to ground gifting Salford another set which they took full advantage of. Abel sent Callum Green over with nice pass.

Salford’s third try came from an excellent piece of halfback play for Pilling. This lad is growing in confidence all the time and his neat footwork and clever vision brought a very impressive try. Hughes sliced through to score his second try before turning provider putting a try on a plate for centre Jake Spedding. 

The Crusaders got a well deserved try of their own when they moved the ball to the right edge. Winger Lewis Holgate finished superbly to just about squeeze in at the corner.

Cole Oakley is fast becoming a fan’s favourite at Salford and the grafting back rower charged down the left channel to score his sides sixth try of the half three minutes before the break.

Salford started the second half with a much quicker tempo and this caught the Crusaders off guard. Abel went over for a try before he set one up for Spedding.

Hughes and Pilling continued to work well together. It’s easy to forget that Hughes is still a very young player himself but his maturity is bringing the best out of Pilling. Another high kick from Hughes created havoc when it bounced. Oakley followed up to collect the loose ball, Joe Baldwin backed up to score the try. 

A fantastic effort of last ditch defending prevented Abel scoring what seemed a certain try and the Crusaders defended stoutly particularly in the middle of the pitch.

Owen Haldenby has been at Salford since the start of the season and it was a special moment for the former Hull academy product when he scored his first try of the season. Haldenby has played at prop most of the season but found himself in the back row in this match where he really shone. Five minutes later Haldenby ran anther good line to score his second try. I think there is a joke in there regarding buses coming along but I’ll steer clear.

Riley Johnson came on for his debut replacing Hughes in the closing stages. He out stepped the Crusaders defence and could have scored but instead threw a lovely pass to the right and this paved the way for Pilling to score Salford’s twelfth try of the afternoon. Johnson then broke clear on the last play of the match but was caught by a last ditch tackle to deny him. Either way it was a memorable debut for the seventeen year old. 

Credit to North Wales Crusaders they never gave up and they will be looking to improve week on week as Mike Grady puts his team together. 

Dave Hewitt was pleased with the two points but with a huge game against Sheffield Eagles next Sunday Salford will need to click through the gears and raise their performance.

Salford 64 North Wales Crusaders 4.

Paul Whiteside.

Big thanks to Adam Hanglin and Gareth Lyons for the photos.