Salford 74 Wakefield 10: Willie Poching apologises after humiliating 13-try defeat

Trinity actually took an early lead through James Batchelor’s converted try but they only struck once after that, through Lewis Murphy’s second-half try, as Salford dominated.

It was Salford’s highest-ever Betfred Super League points total after the Red Devils thrashed Wakefield 74-10, with home coach Paul Rowley claiming: “It’s a good day in our history.” There seemed to be little to choose between the sides before the game at the AJ Bell Stadium, with both having won five of their first 15 matches this season.

But the brutal nature of Salford’s performance came as a major surprise as the hosts ran in 13 tries. Joe Burgess led the way for the Red Devils with a hat-trick of tries and there were doubles for Ryan Brierley, Deon Cross and Ken Sio, while Marc Sneyd kicked 11 goals.

Poching said: “I want to apologise to our travelling fans for that performance. They stuck by us and stuck with us even though we were churning out what we did. We owe them more than what we gave them today.

“I thought we were poor. We have got to be workmanlike and we are a squad which needs a high percentage of people on the field to be performing well.

“We started the game well and got out of the blocks well. Once Salford got a penalty after we’d started well, that was the beginning of the floodgates opening.”

Poaching said the result was not down to one defining thing and it had surprised him given the quality of training sessions in the lead-up to the game.

He said: “It wasn’t due to one particular reason. Salford threw the ball around they are a well-coached team to be able to play football that way.

“We didn’t have the bit between our teeth. I thought we had trained well and I’ll have a look back and look at the prep to see if there were any indicators that was coming. I think there was a period of something like 20 minutes where we didn’t touch the ball. Our attitude after we went behind wasn’t strong enough.

“They are a strong group and through conversations and analysis we’ll have to assess things.

“I have seen enough over the course of the season to know we have got the right attitude. If it wasn’t we look at that and it starts with me.”

Asked if the result had come as a surprise following two successive defeats, Rowley said: “I don’t think you can ever see something like that coming.

“It’s really rewarding for the players. To get something as positive as a Super League record points tally is just reward for the lads and something to be proud of. I’m really delighted. It’s a good day in our history.”

Salford: Brierley, Sio, Cross, Lafai, Burgess, Croft, Sneyd, Ormondroyd, Ackers, Gerrard, Livett, Watkins, Akauola. Substitutes: Atkin, Taylor, Luckley, Dupree.

Wakefield: Fifita, Hood, Whitbread, Ashurst, Batchelor, Pitts, Miller, Lino, Murphy, Minns, Croft, Lineham, Gaskell. Substitutes: Tanginoa, Battye, Butler, Crowther.

Referee: Jack Smith (RFL).