Salford v Wakefield Trinity: Consistency the key as Red Devils bar way on two fronts

Bottom of the table in 2015, Trinity finished eighth last year and have continued to progress this season, beginning Betfred Super League round 17 in fourth spot.

If they can maintain it, that will secure a play-offs spot at the end of the Super-8s and they are also one win away from a second successive appearance in the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup semi-finals.

Ashurst, who joined Trinity in 2015 from tomorrow’s hosts Salford Red Devils, reckons Trinity’s surge is due to “a bit of belief in ourselves”.

“We know within our group what we can do,” said Ashurst. “If we play to our strengths and play the best we can, we can challenge any team.

“We are doing that more this year, we’ve had more consistent performances when in the past maybe we’ve fallen away.

“We have got a bit of consistency this year which is good.”

The big question now is can Trinity maintain their recent form – and possibly stay in the top four?

“We’ve been pretty lucky, we have had a pretty healthy squad,” reflected Ashurst. “If we can keep a full squad on the field I think we can.

“If we carry on the way we are playing, anything is possible, but we are not looking too far ahead.

“We are trying to take each game as it comes and win each game. The top-eight has got to be the aim for everybody at the start of the season.

“Nobody wants to be battling in the middle-eights. We achieved that last year, but then we fell away and didn’t do ourselves justice.

“Hopefully, we can really mount a challenge this year.”

After a stunning win at champions Wigan Warriors on Monday, Trinity face another huge test tomorrow.

Second-placed Salford are on a seven-matching winning run, one more than Wakefield and Ashurst said: “They are one of the form teams.

“They are going really well, they are second just behind Castleford so it is going to be a big game.

“Both teams have strung some wins together and will go in with a bit of confidence. We beat them at home earlier in the year, but they had a chance to win it at the death. It could have gone either way and I think it’ll be the same this time.”

Tomorrow’s game comes just 11 days before the sides meet at Salford in a Cup quarter-final.

“Everyone’s excited for the big game,” said Ashurst. “We got to the semi-finals last year and had a bit of an under-strength squad and didn’t perform well.

“We want to go one better this year, but we have got a couple of big games first.”

Wakefield are forced to ring the changes after losing Tinirau Arona, Jacob Miller and new signing Adam Walker with long-term injuries, while full-back Scott Grix and skipper Danny Kirmond also miss out. In come Jordan Crowther, Keegan Hirst, Ben Jones-Bishop, Max Jowitt and Chris Annakin.