Salford Red Devils run-in eight tries in victory against Leigh Centurions

COACH Paul Rowley insists Leigh will soon “get our swagger back” despite this heavy defeat against their Super League neighbours.

And Rowley won’t allow back-to-back losses by Hull KR and Salford to derail Centurions’ bid to return top flight rugby to the town for the first time since 2005.

Rangi Chase-inspired Salford ran in eight tries, four in the last 17 minutes, to avenge their early season Challenge Cup defeat by their Championship rivals.

Rejuvenated Wakefield Trinity Wildcats are next up at the Leigh Sports Village on Saturday with Rowley’s men already playing catch-up with five games left.

“The way we like to play rugby, if you are short on belief and confidence then you are doomed,” said Rowley in his post mortem at the AJ Bell Stadium. “We will soon have our swagger back but we will make sure we hurt a little bit first.

“It’s very much man in the mirror time but it is also very much keep your nerve time. There are still a lot of twists and turns and this was never do-or-die.

“While we will not brush anything under the carpet, we have high expectations of ourselves and we expect to win big games.

“But we played against a side that played in the fashion of a top end Super League team.

“A world class player played world class,” added Rowley of Chase’s contribution to the Red Devils’ second Middle 8’s success.

“I am not sure he was the difference between the sides but he was a contributing factor."

Leigh’s latest set-back was their heaviest loss since Sam Tomkins helped Wigan to a 60-10 Challenge Cup win in April 2013.

And few inside the ground expected such a runaway home win even after ex Leeds flyer, Ben Jones-Bishop, gave Salford a fourth minute lead.

Winger Adam Higson’s contentious disallowed try summed up Leigh’s luck with referee Richard Silverwood and his officials. And the Yorkshire whistler also got stick for allowing Scott Taylor’s 27th minute touch down after suspicions of crossing in the build-up.

Ex-Wigan centre Iain Thornley piled on the agony with another try after 33 minutes and the Red Devils led 16-0 at the break.

When former Man of Steel Chase grabbed the first of his try double three minutes after the re-start, Leigh’s escape route looked blocked.

Instead, Higson and Gregg McNally went over in quick succession to cut the visitors’ deficit to 22-12. Another Leigh try then would certainly have had Salford rocking.

Instead, Chase kicked for Junior Sa’u to ease the nerves after 63 minutes before adding his second of the game three minutes later.

Full-back Niall Evalds and winger Greg Johnson notched further tries with Michael Dobson completing seven goals from eight attempts.

McNally touched down again for Centurions before the hooter but it was hardly consolation.

“We blew three clear cut opportunities throughout the game," added Rowley. "And we were on the end of some harsh and peculiar calls.

“But we came up against a really good Salford side who completed very well and played to a very high Super League standard.”

Teams:

Salford:Evalds; Jones-Bishop, Sa’u, Thornley, Johnson; Chase, Dobson; G Griffin, Tomkins, Taylor, Hansen, Maitua, Paterson; subs: Lee, Krasniqi, Tasi, Morley.

Leigh: McNally; Higson, Pala, Armstrong, Kay; Ridyard, Brierley; Emmitt, Higham, Wilkes, Dixon, Goulden, Barlow; subs: Beswick, Haggerty, Aspinwall, Moimoi.

Referee: Richard Silverwood

Attendance: 4,547