Star date: 23rd June 2017

ST HELENS 25 SALFORD RED DEVILS 24

Salford Red Devils were beaten by a last gasp kick, as the Saints fought back from what looked like a cert Salford win, as Simon Williams reports, with photos by Steve McCormick.

Match report here...

Salford, having the season of seasons, travelled to the giants of Rugby League looking for a first win in 38 years. I have been coming here and been on the end of some right poundings but tonight felt we had a brilliant chance as Wembley fever has hit and the club is buzzing...Yet again, it was not to be Salford's night.

For this one, Michael Dobson was rested and Todd Carney started. The game began with the big forwards from each side testing each other out. Big Ben Murdoch-Masila, or BMM, hit Kyle Amour, and how he got up I will never know. It was a real forward battle for the first 15 minutes with nothing asked given.

Salford were first on the scoreboard after a penalty under the post by Todd Carney to make it Salford 2 Saints 0. The game ebbed and flowed and Saint Helens were starting to pressure the Salford line, with ex-player Matty Smith going over in  the corner, which Saints kicked. Soon after, the ref awarded Saints a penalty; what for?  Only he knows: Saints 8 Salford 2.

With Salford attacking and getting into the faces of Saint Helens, the clock was running down and, as the half-time hooter sounded, Todd Carney put in a brilliant kick which Niall Evalds gathered right under the post. Try time for Salford! The Saints players looked sick as they walked in at half time.

At the start of the second half it was all Salford, and after great work by Evalds,  Johnson flew over in the corner, too far out for Carney to kick: Salford 12 Saints 8. At this stage Kris Brinning was have a stormer and he gave the ball to Robert Lui who managed to put the ball down with three players on him: Salford 18 Saint Helens 8.

This was turning into the battle of the pastings. After the catalogue of defeats here, at this point I was smirking, which turned into a broad smile with 12 minutes to go, when the Saint Helens line finally gave in to Salford pressure. After a brilliant kick by Todd Carney, Evalds went over for his second, kicked by Carney making the score Salford 24 Saints 8. What could go wrong?

BMM did a massive hit on former player Theo Fages, adding to one awesome season that must surely put him in line for the Man of Steel. With seven minutes to go, Saints scored under the Salford post, making it Salford 24 Saints 14...but we still looked safe.

Saints had other ideas and finished the stronger as if they wanted it more, and pulled the score back to 24-24. As the hooter went, the ball sailed over the Salford post: Saints 25 Salford 24.

It was a top game for a neutral but I'm a Salford fan, and this game came back to bite me right on the arse. I was gutted but we had pushed one of the giants of rugby all the way. My wait to beat the Saints goes on but we are not that far away nowadays...

Words by Simon Williams

Photos by Steve McCormick.