Salford v St.Helens.
A little piece of history was created earlier in the season when Salford won away at St.Helens for the first time since January 1980. The last time the Red Devils completed a League home and away double over Saints was that same season 1979/80. 25-11 at the Willows in September 1979, Keith Fielding scored a hat trick with Dave Harris and Kenny Gill also try scorers. Mike Coulman, Eric Prescott and Colin Whitfield scored the tries at Knowsley Road in that famous 17-18 win a few months later.
Last Friday’s performance at Warrington was arguably our best of the season so far. A near perfect first half display set the tone for a memorable night. Marc Sneyd again proved the catalyst as he bossed the match from minute one to eighty. Sneyd is playing some of the best rugby of his career and you can only admire his humble manner. I caught his post match interview on Friday and just listening to his down to earth attitude makes you realise what a classy bloke he is.
I thought Sam Stone was the best forward on the pitch at Warrington. The Wolves have some high profile players but Stone’s work ethic and quality really shone through.
Loghan Lewis enjoyed a terrific debut, his enthusiastic character has made him an instant hit with the Salford supporters and I am looking forward to seeing him progress in the coming weeks as he settles in to the team.
Super home record
Salford 9
Draws 0
St.Helens 17
1997 Salford 39 St. Helens 26
1998 Salford 14 St. Helens 18
1999 Salford 10 St. Helens 23
2000 Salford 4 St. Helens 58
2001 Salford 16 St. Helens 56
2002 Salford 24 St. Helens 28
2004 Salford 30 St. Helens 20
2005 Salford 22 St. Helens 33
2006 Salford 10 St. Helens 12
2007 Salford 20 St. Helens 32
2009 Salford 20 St. Helens 10
2010 Salford 42 St. Helens 34
2011 Salford 22 St. Helens 56
2012 Salford 10 St. Helens 32
2013 Salford 10 St. Helens 52
2014 Salford 0 St. Helens 38
2015 Salford 6 St. Helens 52
2016 Salford 44 St. Helens 10
2017 Salford 22 St. Helens 14
2017 Salford 4 St. Helens 30 (Super 8s)
2018 Salford 10 St. Helens 60
2019 Salford 4 St. Helens 26
2020 Salford 12 St.Helens 10 (behind closed doors at Headingley).
2021 Salford 26 St.Helens 14
2022 Salford 44 St.Helens 12
2023 Salford 15 St.Helens 18
They played for both.
Over the years there has been so much player movement between the two clubs. The town of St Helens is a real hot bed of the game with some fantastic amateur set ups including Thatto Heath, Blackbrook and Clock Face. In the Super League era Matty Smith, Jordan Turner, Lama Tasi, Matty Costello, Tommy Lee, Theo Fages, Mark Edmondson, Mark Flanagan, Willie Talu, Tony Puletua, Francis Meli, Matty Ashurst, Paul Forber, Lee Gaskell, Bobbie Goulding, Andrew Dixon, Danny Arnold, Karle Hammond, Joey Hayes, Alan Hunte, Tim Jonkers, Joey Lussick, Mark Lee, Dean McGillvary, Andy Platt, Gareth Price, Steve Tyrer, Adam Walker, Chris Morley, Josh Jones and Anthony Stewart to name a few.
Paul Groves, Paul Brownbill, Clive Griffiths, Frank Wilson, Paul Grimes, John Mantle, John Knighton, Steve Rule, Ken Gwilliam, George Nicholls, Darren Bloor and Eric Prescott played for both clubs in the pre super League era. Alex Murphy and Shaun McRae have coached both sides.
A MATCH TO REMEMBER Friday 3rd July 2009.
Salford 20 St.Helens 10.
This was a night where young star Stefan Ratchford really came of age. Then just twenty one years old Salford’s rising prospect claimed two tries in the opening ten minutes to send the City Reds roaring in front. Both scores were converted by John Wilshire to put the home side 12-0 up.
Remarkably, a third score arrived in the 16th minute when Ratchford orchestrated a fine flowing move which culminated in centre Darrell Goulding crossing in the left corner.
Salford deservedly led 16-0 at the break and, though Saints responded in the second half with a try through young replacement Andrew Dixon, there was no comeback.
Salford lost Jeremy Smith to the sin bin in the fifty third minute but their defence was outstanding. St. Helens were flying high and bang on form coming into this match, in fact they had won their previous sixteen away matches.
Australia three quarter Mark Henry scored just before the hour mark to put Salford firmly in the driving seat much to the delight of the home supporters.
Francis Meli scores a consolation try in the final minute for Saints but this match was all about Salford and a very memorable victory.
This victory ended a run of four defeats for Shaun McRae’s City Reds. The joy was sadly short lived, eight days later Salford were well beaten in South Wales by Celtic Crusaders 25-12 and only managed one victory out of their remaining nine games.
The teams that night:
Salford, Wilshere, Henry, Littler, Goulding, McGilvary, J Smith, Ratchford, Cashmere, Alker, Stapleton, Adamson, Sidlow, Swain.
Subs, Leuluai, Jewitt, Walton, Hunter-Paul.
St.Helens, Wellens, Gardener, Flannery, Dean, Meli, Eastmond, Long, Graham, Roby, Hargreaves, Ashurst, Puletua, Gilmour.
Subs, Fa’asavalu, Ellis, Dixon, Clough.
Attendance, 4,808.
Referee, James Child.
Sunday’s match.
Looking ahead to Sunday’s match an exciting afternoon awaits. St.Helens have found some real point scoring form over the last month racking up big wins over Leeds, Castleford and London. Having said that though they were well beaten away at Hull Kingston Rovers. The Robins found weak points in this Saints side and exploited them to perfection. I’ve no doubt Salford coach Paul Rowley will have a game plan ready at 3pm on Sunday. Looking at the League table Salford are currently in 5th position just four points behind top of the table St.Helens.
The Red Devils have been without fullback Ryan Brierley recently but Chris Hankinson has played with a real solidness particularly in defence and has been very impressive. Ben Hellewell and Jack Ormondroyd are both out injured long term so this now hands an opportunity to Harvey Wilson and Loghan Lewis who both made good debuts recently.
Saints have a team full of quality with Mark Percival back to his best and star fullback Jack Welsby is always a handful. James Bell is a player that often goes under the radar but he’s a very clever ball playing forward that would slot in to any team in the Super League. Matty Lees, George Delaney and Curtis Sironen provide some hefty size and power in the pack with Lewis Dodd calling the shots at scrum half.
Quite a few pundits on the television have said that Salford’s centre partnership of Tim Lafai and Nene McDonald is up their with the best in the league. Wingers Ethan Ryan and Deon Cross have both been in good form and last Friday every time the Red Devils were in possession they looked dangerous. The most impressive factor last week was the defence and how disciplined Salford were and if they can get this right again on Sunday they are in with a real chance of beating St.Helens. The visitors are slight favourites with the bookmakers with Salford having an eight point start.
The action gets under way at 3pm.
Safe travels and enjoy the match.
Paul Whiteside.
Big thanks to Steve McCormick for the photos and the Salford match day programme.
Paul Whiteside Rugby League 