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JOHN Wilshere filled in at full back on Easter Monday.
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Salford City Reds 42 Featherstone Rovers 12
27/ 3/2008
SALFORD City Reds put in a patchy performance on Easter Monday – but they were still too hot to handle for Featherstone Rovers.
The game was as good as won after just 29 minutes of play. A five-try blitz ensured that Salford led 28-0 at that stage but their standards dropped from then on in.
The Reds went from playing at breakneck speed to broken leg speed as their exhausting encounter at Leigh four days earlier took its toll, particularly in the forward department.
Salford were also guilty of coughing up too much possession and regularly taking the wrong option in attack.
But they were never in danger of losing the game. Featherstone refused to give up the ghost but they were always kept at arms’ length as Salford made sure of a happy Easter and top spot in the National League One table.
Two wins from two is just what the doctor ordered and there is clearly a lot more to come from Shaun McRae’s side.
Featherstone are also much better than they showed on Easter Monday. Rovers came into the game on the back of a comfortable win over Whitehaven but they looked star-struck early doors and the League One title favourites took full advantage.
Winger turned centre Mat Gardner showed his exceptional finishing skills to bag a brace of tries before hobbling off the pitch with a leg injury late on.
Paul White, Andy Ballard and Stuart Littler also posed a threat on the edges with all three players touching down.
Half back Stefan Ratchford proved once again that he has an eye for an opening by darting over direct from a scrum and setting up four other tries.
John Wilshere oozed class as a full back replacement for the injured Karl Fitzpatrick while forwards Malc Alker, Stephen Nash, Phil Leuluai, Craig Stapleton and Ian Sibbit all excelled in fits and starts.
They say that great teams will win games when they are not playing particularly well. On that basis, Salford are a great team – at League One level at least!
Team: Wilshere; Ballard, Littler, Gardner, White; Ratchford, Myler; Nash, Alker, Stapleton, Sibbit, Brocklehurst, Turner. Subs used: Borgese, Jewitt, Bannister, Leuluai. Tries: Turner, Gardner (2), Ratchford, Sibbit, Ballard, Littler, White. Goals: Ballard (5). Attendance: 5,139.
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27/03/2008 at 21:00