Salford 48 Wakefield 10: Trinity are left floundering in Finnigan's wake

Reds' remarkable start goes on with first-half romp

Three tries from Simon Finnigan led the way as an exceptional first-half display showed that Salford's fine start to the season is no fluke.

Finnigan completed a memorable week, in which his partner gave birth to their first child, by scoring his first hat-trick in any grade. "Everything seemed to click for us tonight. It was one of those games where everything sticks," he said.

Those with long memories were claiming that the last time Salford played with this sort of fluency was in the era of David Watkins and Keith Fielding. That might be getting a little carried away, but there is no doubt that the City Reds are exceeding all expectations.

Their excellent start has been one of the stories of the Super League season and they were out to consolidate a top-four place at the bone-chillingly cold Willows.

Good as they have been thus far, nothing had prepared their supporters for the dazzling show they put on in the first 40 minutes. It started with the precise kicking game of their half-backs, Andrew Dunemann and Luke Robinson, who set up tries for Paul Highton and Finnigan in the first nine minutes.

Finnigan then provided the pass for Karl Fitzpatrick to carve through on an angled run. Almost immediately, after Wakefield's David Solomona had made one of his frequent handling errors, Robinson's run and pass sent Andrew Brocklehurst over.

Finnigan, an unremarked signing from Widnes in the close season, then went in from close range, before the best try of the lot two minutes before the break. Robinson chipped through again, Fitzpatrick's blinding pace enabled him to gather the ball and Highton, the prop who has been one of Salford's most improved players so far this season, arrived in support for his second try.

Finnigan completed his hat-trick six minutes into the second half, running on to Dunemann's shrewd pass. Some of the urgency went out of Salford's game after that and Wakefield managed to limit the damage.

They got on the scoreboard when Semi Tadulala ran across the field and Jamie Field got over from David March's pass. Jason Demetriou got their second when he intercepted a pass from Robinson, but the game ended on an appropriate note when Robinson scored Salford's eighth try with a weaving run.

It did not help Wakefield that David Hodgson's goal-kicking was faultless right to the end, but they got little sympathy from their coach, Tony Smith. "There was only one description for us in the first half and that was 'pathetic'," he said.

Poor as Wakefield were, it would be wrong to take away too much credit from a Salford side playing to a level they have not achieved for years.

Salford: Fitzpatrick; Hodgson, Moule, Littler, Wilshere; Dudemann, Robinson; Baldwin, Alker, Highton, Coley, Brocklehurst, Finnigan. Substitutes used: Clough, Haggerty, Clayton, Langi.

Wakefield: Halpenny; White, Demetriou, Henderson, Tadulala; Obst, Jeffries; MacGillivray, Becham, Elima, Solomona, Field, Applegarth. Substitutes used: Griffin, Korkidas, March, Saxton.

Referee: P Bentham (Warrington).