Salford moved level on points with sixth‑placed Warrington after victory against the Wolves in the most dramatic of circumstances – as the race for a Super League playoff place heads into its final thrilling weeks.
Warrington knew victory here would open a four-point gap between themselves and Salford with just two rounds remaining. But the club who topped the table after 10 rounds now look in danger of missing the playoffs, after Sam Stone’s try in golden-point extra‑time settled a pulsating game.
Salford and Warrington are now level on 26 points, with only points difference keeping the Wolves inside the top six. The Red Devils are arguably favourites to usurp Warrington now given the nature of this win, and the astonishing drop‑off in the Wolves’ form in the second half of this season. Sam Burgess certainly has a job on his hands when he takes charge next year.
“We’ve got belief in the club and that’s important,” the victorious coach, Paul Rowley, said. “Sometimes we’re eager to please but we got the job done, but we had to work hard to win it more than once.”
Salford led 12-6 at half-time with tries from Ben Hellewell and Brodie Croft, after Warrington had taken an early lead through Matty Nicholson’s try. The quality was lacking from both sides, however, perhaps given what was at stake for each side.
“We lost some balls in crucial areas, we didn’t handle it well and Salford did it better than us,” Warrington’s interim coach, Gary Chambers, said. “We were clunky.”
The lead changed hands three times after the break, first when Ben Currie touched down after an error from Ken Sio.
Salford responded with Croft’s second try before the Wolves went back ahead with 10 minutes to go when the England captain, George Williams, scored. But a penalty from the boot of Marc Sneyd levelled it at 20-20 and meant the game would be settled in golden-point extra-time.
It was certainly decided in spectacular fashion. Salford broke out wide with a wonderful run from Joe Burgess, who turned it inside for Stone to keep Salford’s season alive.
