SALFORD coach Paul Rowley revealed after the battered Red Devils posted their first win of the year that skipper Ryan Brierley had been very ill before kick-off.
Huddersfield should have had the measure of a team racked by financial difficulties – restricted in who they could pick and forced to sell Marc Sneyd and Brad Singleton during the past fortnight – in the clash of Super League’s winless teams at Salford Community Stadium.
But not only did the Giants trail 16-0 at halftime, their newest signing Niall Evalds – who had not even had the chance to train with them since he joined from Hull KR – suffered a broken foot that is likely to keep him out for months.
“Ryan was very poorly before the game,” said Red Devils Rowley, who has just 17 available players for the next game against Wigan, on Sky Sports.
“He’s a better man than me. I couldn’t have played with the way he looked before kick-off.”
Despite their internal woes, the Red Devils coasted home in the second half with the Giants posting a couple of consolation tries from 22-0.
Huddersfield’s Luke Robinson lamented: “Every single game this year, I felt like with could have won.
“That tonight was our worst performance of the season.
“It looks like (Evalds) broke his foot. He just doesn’t know how.
“He came off at halftime saying ‘I’m in agony’.”
Half Jayden Nikorima scored two tries, admitting: “We’ve had to overcome some adversity the last four months and then losing our number seven last week and then a key man for us, Singo, this week – it’s devastating for the group.
“We’re a tight group, we’ve overcome adversity before and it showed tonight.”
SALFORD 23 (Nikorima 2 Wilson Masters tries Brierley 3 goals field goal) beat HUDDERSFIELD 10 (Swift Lolohea try Sutcliffe goal) at Salford Community Stadium. Referee: Tom Grant.
Teams:
SALFORD: Nathan Connell; Ethan Ryan, Esan Marsters, Kallum Watkins, Deon Cross; Ryan Brierley, Jayden Nikorima; Chris Hill, Chris Atkin, Jack Ormondroyd, Shane Wright, Harvey Wilson, Joe Shorrocks. Res: Kai Morgan, Justin Sangare, Joe Bullock, Tiaki Chan. 18th man: Matty Foster.
HUDDERSFIELD: Niall Evalds; Adam Swift, Taane Milne, Jake Bibby, Sam Halsall; Tui Lolohea, Liam Sutcliffe; Fenton Rogers, Ash Golding, Matty English, Sam Hewitt, Jack Murchie, Leroy Cudjoe. Res: Tom Deakin, Harry Rushton, Oliver Wilson, Jack Billington. 18th man: Jack Bibby.
Referee: Tom Grant
Image: Oly Hassell/SWpix
