Salford back into top six with victory over London Broncos

Salford moved back into the top six with a 34-4 rout of Super League basement boys London Broncos but the final score belied the battle they faced for much of the afternoon.

Quickfire tries from Deon Cross and Nene MacDonald early in the second half broke the game open and late scores from Tim Lafai, twice, and Shane Wright padded the score before Hakim Miloudi’s late reply.

But London had frustrated Paul Rowley’s side throughout a first half in which two of three disallowed tries came from the Broncos, with only Sam Stone’s try separating the sides at the break.

A home fixture against the league’s bottom club gave Salford an opportunity to eat into their negative points difference, but they needed a late flurry to take it in a scrappy contest.

The Red Devils thought they had the breakthrough in the 15th minute when MacDonald hauled in a high kick and touched down, but Oli Partington was offside.

Three minutes later it was the Broncos’ turn to be disappointed as Oli Leyland’s kick found Lee Kershaw in the corner, but James Meadows was offside.

It was turning into a busy afternoon for video referee James Vella, who was asked to check another one in the 27th minute as Marcus Stock went over for the Broncos, but referee Liam Rush had spotted a double movement and it too was ruled out.

The breakthrough finally came in the 34th minute after Will Lovell conceded a penalty. The Red Devils chose to run it and worked it for Joe Mellor to find Stone, who powered his way through a tiring London defence.

The second try came in the 49th minute as Marc Sneyd spotted Cross in space on the left and picked him out with a precision kick for an easy score.

Tim Lafai scored two tries as Salford Red Devils raced clear of London Broncos in the second half of their Super League clash

The dam had burst, and three minutes later Salford got their third – making it look easy as Lafai burst through the middle before offloading the ball for MacDonald to finish the job.

Miloudi then dropped the ball in sight of the line and Lovell was also guilty of a spill as the visitors squandered a chance to turn the tide.

Instead, Sneyd’s grubber kick allowed Lafai to get his try, and there was more quick thinking from Sneyd when he stumbled in front of goal but rolled over to off-load for Wright to score.

With five minutes left, Sneyd and Lafai combined again, but the Broncos had the final word as Miloudi went over at the death.

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