Tickle increases Salford worries

Wigan 40 Salford 1

Despite conceding a gift early try when Stuart Littler intercepted Terry Newton's pass to romp over from 35 metres, Wigan played with confidence. Newton led from the front as captain and Dennis Moran, Danny Orr and Brett Dallas, switched to full-back, were all influential.

Orr's left-footed kick created the equalising try for Danny Tickle before Brian Carney added only his third try of the season.

Moran cleverly re-gathered his own chip to send Newton over and Dallas then kicked through for Newton to grab his second on the stroke of half-time. Andrew Brocklehurst blasted through four tacklers for a Salford reply but any chances of a revival ended when David Hodgson spilled a great opening from Littler's break.

Carney made him pay, collecting Tickle's long pass and going over. Newton's slick pass created another for Joel Tomkins before Tickle's try rounded off the night perfectly for Wigan.

Wigan: Dallas; Carney, Brown, Vaealiki, Aspinwall; Orr, Moran; Seu Seu, Newton, Hargreaves, Wild, Tickle, Hansen. Substitutes used: Allen, Sculthorpe, Tomkins, Gleeson.

Salford: Fitzpatrick; Hodgson, Littler, Sibbit, Langi; Beverley, Robinson; Rutgerson, Alker, Stringer, Shipway, McAvoy, Charles. Substitutes used: Highton, Brocklehurst.