Sometimes end of season games can have a bit of a stale feel to them. What we saw at Mount Pleasant on Sunday was the complete opposite. A blood and thunder match between two sides that gave absolutely everything.

The Salford supporters travelled in good numbers many in fancy head attire with it being daft hat day! It was ten years since Salford’s last visit to Batley and the Bulldogs were clear favourites to win this fixture for the first time since 1981.

Salford coach Dave Hewitt started with Kieran Dixon at fullback, Jack Holmes returned to the wing with Oli Garmston at centre. Fin Yates started in the pack and Damola Lola made the bench. 

Batley had Ben Reynolds in the halves with veteran forward Dane Manning alongside Lucas Walshaw in the back row. It would be Walshaw’s last match before retiring. The pair have played almost four hundred matches for the Bulldogs and you can’t help but admire that level of commitment.

Hewitt had to make an early change when Charlie Glover went off with a head knock. Glover later returned which was a relief after the loose forward had suffered terrible luck with injury in 2026.

Salford struck first in the points department when Brad Dwyer fed Joe Hartley with a lovely short ball. Dixon converted, 0-6 after seven minutes. 

A bizarre incident saw Evan Hodgson sin binned after an altercation with Jack Bibby. The referee didn’t award Salford a penalty though, instead he played on with the drop out that the home side had forced. From the drop out Batley scored a nice try. The twelve men went left with a floating pass putting Joe Burton over in the corner. Reynolds levelled the match at 6-6. 

The Bulldogs scored again whilst being a man down to take the lead. Reynolds again played a key role with a measured kick to the wing. Ollie Greensmith out jumped the Salford defenders to touch down. 

Salford began to lose their way through poor discipline and the conceded penalties began to rack up. At one stage in the first half it was six to one in the home sides favour. Another one conceded right in front of the posts ten yards out laid on a gift two points for Batley, Reynolds didn’t hesitate and after missing the conversion from the second try he made no mistake with this one, 12-6.

Brad Dwyer worked tirelessly to get Salford on the front foot but the Bulldogs defence were reading him well. It would need something special to unlock the defence and it was Toby Hughes who sliced through a huge gap. Dixon converted 12-12.

One of the consistent cogs of this Salford side is Joe Hartley and his willingness to run the ball in at every opportunity caught the eye a number of times. When he broke just before the break the Batley cover defence just about dealt with him but unfortunately Jack Holmes got injured off the ball and had to be helped from the field with a nasty looking knee injury. 

Hewitt had to make changes at halftime with after the Holmes injury. Dixon moved to the wing and Lewis Pilling went to fullback. 

Early Salford errors in the second half handed the initiative to Batley. They built pressure with repeat sets before former Salford winger Derrell Olpherts went over to restore the lead for the home side. Dwyer got sent to the sin bin and with Salford trailing 16-12 playing up the slope the outcome looked pretty nailed on for a Bulldogs victory. 

Reece Stanton was outstanding in the Salford pack in both attack and defence. Reece is now a real cornerstone of this side.

The visitors seemed to move up a notch. On loan half back Corey-Joe Sharp showed some nice touches and settled into the game well. Salford camped on the Batley line forcing set after set in a real punishing spell of pressure. The home side defended stoutly to keep their line intact.

Salford needed a touch of magic and out of nothing that’s exactly what they got. Hughes put a delightful kick through into space which he chased and regathered to score arguably the try of the season for his side. The travelling supporters went ballistic. Dixon converted to nudge Salford in front 16-18.

White and Reynolds were a constant threat for the home side and they combined superbly which a wonderful piece of skill from yet another kick through. Reynolds touched down but the referee said no adjudging the ball to have gone dead. 

The skill on show from both sides in the kicking department was very impressive at times. Going into the final few minutes the game lay on a knife edge. Neither side wanted to make a mistake but Batley knew they had to force the pass. Salford’s final set was a fairly clean one handing possession back to Batley deep in their own half. The home side went for one last gasp throw of the dice down the right edge but Salford gathered the loose possession as the hooter sounded. 

Salford trainer Adam Moffat who’s part of the coaching team couldn’t hide his emotion as the hooter went. His delighted face was an absolute picture. It’s been one hell of a challenging season for everybody associated with Salford. Players, coaches, staff and supporters. They’ve all stuck together, grown together and evolved together into this tight knit club. For the players that stay at Salford I am sure they will get better in 2027. Undoubtedly players will move on but I sincerely hope the ones that do find their own destiny within the sport of Rugby League. 

Walking out of the ground I felt a real sense of pride. It’s been a season full of ups and downs but at the same time I’ve enjoyed every minute. Take care and I’ll see you in 2027 to do it all again.

Batley 16 Salford 18.

Paul Whiteside.

Big thanks to Steve McCormick for the photos.