Briers’s milestone for Wolves in Cup romp

The veteran stand-off, out since February with neck and calf injuries, scored his 149th try for the club just three minutes after entering the action as a second-half substitute.

The former Welsh international also went on to kick the 1,000th goal of his career while former Salford favourite Stefan Ratchford, who deputised at stand-off during Briers’ absence, demonstrated his versatility by switching to centre from where he scored his second try of the match.

England prop Chris Hill opened the scoring, while full-back Brett Hodgson grabbed a try then sliced open Salford’s defence with a run from deep to get Joel Monaghan over at the corner.

There was no way back for the visitors when Ratchford dummied his way over for a fourth Warrington try and Hodgson kicked his fourth goal to make it 24-0 after 26 minutes.

French half-back Theo Fages did his best to rally Salford and they forced two goal-line drop-outs but the holders’ defence held firm and centre Ryan Atkins went close to adding another try for the Wolves on the stroke of half-time.

Micky Higham added to Warrington’s try total three minutes into the second half, before making way for the return of Briers.

Ratchford claimed his second, winning the chase to Hodgson’s kick to the line, and the latter his seventh goal to make it 42-0.

Salford prevented a whitewash when scrum-half Liam Foran swooped on a loose ball to get winger Jodie Broughton over for a 65th-minute try, to which Lee Gaskell added the goal.

But it was only a temporary respite as the holders finished the match with two more tries from Monaghan and Paul Wood.

Briers took over the goalkicking duties and reached his landmark total with a kick from close to the posts.

Warrington: Hodgson, C. Riley, Atkins, Grix, J. Monaghan, Ratchford, Myler, Wood, Higham, Hill, Waterhouse, Westwood, Cooper. Substitutes: Briers, Carvell, Currie, G. Riley.

Salford: Sneyd, Gibson, Gleeson, Gaskell, Broughton, McGoldrick, Fages, Griffin, Godwin, A. Walne, Ashurst, Dixon, Wild. Substitutes: Emmitt, Foran, James, Nero.

Referee: R Hicks (RFL).