Browse Sections

• Salford City Reds
• Local football
• Local cricket

Salford City Reds 62 Bramley 6

10/ 4/2008

ROBBIE Paul wasted no time in proving that he is still a class act – scoring a two-try brace on his Salford debut as the Reds cruised into the quarter-finals of the Northern Rail Cup.

At the age of 31, the New Zealand and Bradford Bulls legend’s best days may well be behind him.

But he showed enough on Friday night to suggest that he can live up to the hype that greeted his signing for Salford last September – at League One level at least.

Salford’s fans have been dying to see the mini maestro playing in a red shirt ever since he put pen to paper.

They have had to be patient with Paul having been forced to undergo a back operation in January.

It was by no means a vintage display with Paul’s lack of match practice showing at times.

But the way he took his two tries was worth the admittance fee alone.

He used his mesmerising footwork and quick turn of pace to scythe through Bramley’s defence on 30 and 79 minutes.

And he had a hand in several of Salford’s other nine tries.

The impressive Jordan Turner also bagged a brace of tries while fringe players Paul Highton, Luke Adamson and Adam Sidlow all made full use of their rare shot at first team rugby.

But there was very little else to get excited about for the small number of Salford supporters who bothered to turn up.

The disappointing 1,780 gate bore witness to an error-strewn display by the home side.

With Richard Myler getting the nod ahead of Stefan Ratchford to partner Paul in the halves, Salford dropped the ball with alarming regularity and took some nonsensical options in attack.

But it is never easy for players to produce their best against easy beats like Bramley.

The Co-Operative Conference National League amateurs were always going to be little more than cannon fodder.

Maybe that, and the fact that Salford played amid atrocious weather yet again, explains why so many supporters stayed away.

Team: Wilshere; Ballard, Littler, Gardner, White; Paul, Myler; Nash, Alker, Sidlow, Sibbit, Brocklehurst, Turner. Subs used: Highton, Ratchford, Adamson, Bannister. Tries: Turner (2), Gardner, Sibbit, Paul (2), Adamson, White, Highton, Littler, Myler. Goals: Ballard (9). Attendance: 1,780.

Most recent 1 of 1 user comments