Salford Red Devils 22 Leeds Rhinos 16: Season over for generous visitors as Paul Rowley proves point

There was a sense that the Rhinos had to win at Salford Red Devils – the top-six side they appeared most likely to catch – but instead they ended the evening six points behind after producing a performance that summed up their campaign.

From dumb rugby to daft penalties, Leeds are the most generous team in Super League and the Red Devils do not need a second invitation under Paul Rowley.

Based on these 80 minutes and the campaign as a whole, the Salford boss would be wise to stay put.

The talk of Rowley taking over at Headingley refuses to go away but ignoring the status of the two clubs, it would take a brave man to leave Salford for the Rhinos.

Rowley appears to be leaning towards staying at the Red Devils and it is easy to see why.

The 49-year-old has got Salford punching above their weight on a modest budget, in stark contrast to Leeds who continue to look like a rabble more often than not despite splashing the cash at the end of last year.

The Rhinos claimed two of Salford's jewels in Brodie Croft and Andy Ackers but Rowley gets a tune out of the Red Devils regardless of who he fields.

For all Leeds' potential as a club, Rohan Smith's permanent successor has a job on his hands to turn an unfit, undersized and dozy team into a group of winners.

While Leeds have shown positive signs under interim boss Brad Arthur, Saturday's game showed they are lagging a long way behind Salford let alone their traditional rivals.

The Rhinos made the perfect start with Tim Lafai in the sin bin thanks to early tries from Matt Frawley and Alfie Edgell but the rest of the game was their season in microcosm.

Kallum Watkins scored a double either side of Croft's try to peg his old club back and Leeds could not issue a response.

Joe Mellor went over for the only try of the second half and it was death by a thousand Marc Sneyd kicks from then on.

With two games against defending champions Wigan Warriors to come as well as dates with Warrington Wolves, Catalans Dragons and Hull KR, the Rhinos need a miracle to make the top six.

By the end of a contest that was won emphatically by Salford despite the scoreline, Leeds' blistering start was a distant memory.

Lafai gave the Rhinos an early leg-up when he caught Lachie Miller with an overzealous challenge on a kick chase and returned to find his team 12-0 down.

Ackers left his old side on the back foot with a dangerous scoot and quick play the ball, giving Frawley the time he needed to dummy his way through a hole in the Red Devils' right edge.

Justin Sangare put the Rhinos under pressure with an ill-advised offload from the restart but Arthur's men defended the error and extended their lead in the blink of an eye.

Paul Momirovski ran a good line to hit Croft's pass at pace before shrugging off two would-be tacklers to give Edgell a clear run to the line.

Rhyse Martin added his second conversion to give Leeds a 12-0 lead inside the opening 10 minutes but the travelling supporters know better than to get carried away.

True to form, the Rhinos invited their hosts back into the game with sloppy play.

Martin was sin-binned after referee Tom Grant lost patience with Leeds' repeat offences and that was all the encouragement Salford needed to work their way into the contest.

After Nene Macdonald was pulled back for a forward pass from a tap play, Watkins found a way through his former club from Oliver Partington's flat ball.

Leeds shrugged off the setback to score a try of their own from the training ground, Croft starting and finishing a slick move in a tight space that featured superb handling from Ackers and Miller that left the Red Devils in a spin.

The visitors had the perfect opportunity to take a firm grip on the match when Sneyd kicked the restart out on the full but ruthlessness is not a word that is associated with the Rhinos, even if they did show flashes in their previous game at Huddersfield Giants.

Sneyd quickly put a rare mistake behind him to go close on the last tackle before Watkins got Salford right back in it with a carbon copy try from another Partington pass.

Leeds survived another scare in the final minute of the half after piggybacking the Red Devils all the way downfield courtesy of an unforced error and a penalty.

Macdonald appeared to have drawn Salford level from Sneyd's cross-field kick only to be penalised for a double movement, much to the delight of the away fans who had seen the former Rhinos centre celebrate in front of them.

The interval did nothing to halt the Red Devils' momentum and they got the try their dominance merited when Jayden Nikorima jinked his way through tired defence and found Mellor in support.

Sneyd's third goal nudged Salford in front for the first time and the half-back added another two points after Martin was penalised for a high shot in front of the posts.

When James Bentley caught Joe Shorrocks high, it was one lazy tackle too many for Grant who went to his pocket to issue a yellow.

Sneyd duly knocked over the penalty from just inside the Leeds half to give the Red Devils a six-point lead that they never looked like relinquishing.

Salford Red Devils: Brierley, Ryan, Macdonald, Lafai, Cross, Nikorima, Sneyd, Singleton, Shorrocks, Lewis, Stone, Watkins, Partington. Substitutes: Wright, Hankinson, Mellor, Bullock.

Tries: Watkins (20, 33), Mellor (54)

Goals: Sneyd 5/5

Sin bin: Lafai (3)

Leeds Rhinos: Miller, Edgell, Momirovski, Newman, Handley, Croft, Frawley, Oledzki, Ackers, Sangare, McDonnell, Martin, Smith. Substitutes: O'Connor, Lisone, Donaldson, Bentley.

Tries: Frawley (4), Edgell (8), Croft (24)

Goals: Martin 2/2, Miller 0/1

Sin bin: Martin (14), Bentley (66)

Referee: Tom Grant.