Saints 40

Salford City Reds 4

AMID the controversy that engulfed Knowsley Road on Friday skipper Paul Sculthorpe led from the front to ensure Saints' awful week ended on a positive note.

Sculthorpe's first half hat-trick and brilliant orchestration of Saints' attack made sure the win against lowly Salford was secured by half-time.

The dominance helped ease the tension among a Saints crowd that was understandably subdued following the gambling allegations made against Sean Long and Martin Gleeson.

Both players were ruled out of the Saints' line-up through injury.

They were not at Knowsley Road, most probably staying away from the media pack that gathered throughout the day.

But much of the terrace talk centred on the pair with rumour and counter-rumour sweeping around the old ground. This was a night when it was difficult to focus on rugby.

Ten of the players who were missing for Easter Monday's Bradford debacle did return and they came up with an efficient display in heavy rain.

Teenager Carl Forber was handed a debut at scrum half and impressed immensely.

The former Thatto Heath junior kicked six conversions from seven attempts, including two successes from near the touchline.

His kicking in general pay was intelligent and he regularly made Salford's back three turn to field the ball, allowing Saints to build a good kick and chase game.

He also probed well and directed the forwards around the field to give Sculthorpe the platform from which to launch Saints' attacking raids out wide.

It helped Forber having such a wealth of experienced players surrounding him, an advantage the youngsters at Bradford were lacking.

Saints coach Ian Millward said: "It is good to blood young kids and also good to blood them alongside others who are playing well.

"I thought Sculthorpe's first half performance was top class."

It was the skipper who created the first try of the night after three minutes, with a pass that sent Darren Albert over on the right.

Seven minutes later Sculthorpe bagged his first try courtesy of his own 'artful dodger' routine.

The loose forward ripped the ball from the grasp of Salford prop Andy Coley and dashed between the sticks for a cheeky score.

His second came in the 23rd minute after he took an off-load two yards out and charged over.

Salford got themselves back into the game when Gavin Clinch created a try for centre Stuart Littler but they offered little more in attack.

Sculthorpe's hat-trick was completed five minutes from the break when he went on an arcing run and handed-off flimsy defence before crossing on the right flank.

Albert got his brace in that same corner after swift hands by Gilmour and Sculthorpe.

Forber again converted from out wide to make the score 28-4 at half-time.

Rain continued to fall heavily in the second half and with the pitch churning up the game became increasingly scrappy.

Micky Higham scampered over from close range in the 44th minute to extend Saints' lead and Maurie Fa'asavalu scored his first try for Saints 12 minutes from time when he touched down a Sculthorpe grubber.

Saints: Wellens; Hardman, Albert, Talau, Gardner; Hooper, Forber; Fozzard, Cunningham, Mason, Edmondson, Gilmour, Sculthorpe. Subs: Fa'asavalu, Bibey, Higham, Graham.

Salford: Beverly; Kirk, Littler, Stewart, Caine; Moana, Clinch; Coley, Alker, Rutgerson, Baldwin, Shipway, Charles. Subs: Johnson, Haggerty, Highton, Myler.

Attendance: 7,649