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Salford City Reds 36 Huddersfield Arms 18

Dave Lawrenson
13/ 4/2006

EIGHT games in and Salford are third in the table and their fans are singing 'we're going to win the league'.

If you'd tipped that three months ago you would have been carted off to the loony bin.

But this Salford side thoroughly deserve to be better placed that so-called giants like Bradford, Hull, Warrington and Wigan.

The Reds are playing some great rugby with every player doing themselves proud.

They are so well organised it's untrue and the commitment in the camp would impress even Manchester City football manager Stuart Pearce.

There were some notable moments in Friday's home win against probable play-off rivals Huddersfield that showed exactly what the 2006 Salford side is all about.

They don't know the meaning of a lost cause - highlighted by winning an unprecedented two scrums against the head.

And the players defend as though their lives depend on it - as shown by Andrew Brocklehurst's two try-saving tackles in the space of 10 seconds and Ian Sibbit's amazing touch down.

It was amazing in that Huddersfield picked the ball up two metres away from their own try line and, four crunching tackles later, they had made no progress whatsoever.

Salford's push up defence was nothing short of heroic. It forced an error and Sibbit touched down the resulting loose ball.

The finishing prowess of full back Karl Fitzpatrick, who scored a stunning hat-trick, and the jaw-dropping skills of Aussie half back Andrew Dunemann, who laid two tries on a plate, were other bright sparks for Salford.

But, for some reason, only 4,084 fans turned up to see the Salford bandwagon roll on in treacherous conditions.

And last week a mere 1,899 supporters were at the Willows to see the Reds beat Dewsbury in the Challenge Cup.

What does the team have to do to get good gates? They are taking Super League by storm, against all the odds, and deserve more support.

Team: Fitzpatrick; Hodgson, Littler, Moule, Wilshere; Dunemann, Robinson; Coley, Alker, Stringer, Brocklehurst, Sibbit, Finnigan. Subs used: McGuinness, Charles, Clayton, Baldwin. Tries: Fitzpatrick (3), Sibbit, Hodgson, Robinson. Goals: Wilshere (6).

Attendance: 4,084.