Hull FC 4-58 Salford: Red Devils confirm play-off spot with thumping 10-try victory

Salford Red Devils confirmed their spot in the Super League play-offs with a comprehensive 10-try demolition of strugglers Hull FC.

The Red Devils boosted their hopes of a home tie in the end-of-season play-offs as Tim Lafai scored a hat-trick of tries in a dominant 58-4 win.

Lafai's two early first-half tries set Salford on their way before Deon Cross, Joe Mellor and Brad Singleton established a 28-0 lead for the visitors at the interval.

Salford underscored their dominance further after the break, with Nene MacDonald, Shane Wright and Kallum Watkins all crossing before Lafai completed his hat-trick to move the Red Devils beyond the 50-point mark.

Zach Jebson grabbed a late consolation for hosts Hull with his first try for the club but it did little to lift the mood at the MKM Stadium, with Salford's Mellor crossing for his second as Hull slipped down to bottom of the Super League table on points difference.

The victory moves Paul Rowley's Red Devils up to fourth, four points clear of seventh-placed Leeds Rhinos with one regular-season game remaining.

Salford coach Paul Rowley celebrated his team earning their ticket to the Super League play-offs after humiliating Hull FC.

Rowley said after the 58-4 win: "If I had any doubt, it was quickly settled when they went out to warm up.

"I think our team responded to our travelling army of Salford fans and gave us that extra motivation to put on a good performance.

"We want to prepare ourselves and make sure the work we've been doing in recent weeks is not wasted. Solidifying our place in the play-offs was important.

"The one thing that we had in our favour was we had good individuals, and we came together as a team. That was our challenge, to be connected against Hull today.

"It's fulfilling as a club, as a group, sitting here with a game to go knowing we are in the top six. It has bought us a ticket and we just need to cash it in now."

Matty Ashton scored a hat-trick as rampant Warrington underlined their Super League title credentials by thumping Huddersfield at the John Smith's Stadium.

The prolific England winger, 26, bagged an early brace before James Harrison, George Williams, Matty Nicholson and Cai Taylor-Wray all crossed to make it 36-0 at the break.

Josh Thewlis scored before Ashton completed his treble in the 63rd minute and Taylor-Wray claimed his second before Toby King, Nicholson again and Rodrick Tai all touched down as Sam Burgess' men ran in a total of 12 tries.

The result leaves Burgess' third-placed side in with an outside chance of finishing the regular season in second place heading into the final round of fixtures next week.

Sam Burgess praised his rampant Warrington side's discipline as they thrashed Huddersfield at the John Smith's Stadium.

Wolves coach Burgess said of his team's performance: "I thought they were disciplined. I was happy with the discipline and how we planned for the game.

"There was a tiny bit where we went off track, but we got back on track, and it was a pleasing performance.

"I was proud of the defence, but Huddersfield have got a lot of guys out, yet I still wanted us to be disciplined and we were. We could have taken our foot off the gas, but we were disciplined enough to keep at it."

London Broncos were on a damage limitation exercise in the south of France but still succumbed to a hard-fought defeat to Catalans Dragons.

Broncos are hoping that their defence will save them from receiving the wooden spoon as they are level on points with Hull FC at the bottom and the scoring margin could determine final positions.

After beating the Dragons in London last month, the Broncos were expecting a backlash at Stade Gilbert Brutus on an emotional night when eight senior players waved goodbye to French supporters, but for long periods they led and looked likely to win.

The Broncos resisted for the opening quarter and then threw the cat among the pigeons with a rare break on the right five minutes before half-time, winger Lee Kershaw scoring the first try of the game with Oli Leyland adding the conversion.

Leyland added a penalty in the opening exchanges of the second period, stretching the lead to 8-0 but the Dragons struck back with brute force when prop Jarrod Wallace smashed over from short range, Arthur Mourgue adding the conversion.

The Dragons turned the screw with a series of attacking raids, and centre Arthur Romano sliced through the defence to score on the left in the 63rd minute, Morgue again on target with the boot to make the score 12-8.

Sam Tomkins thought he had sealed the win with a try five minutes from time but was pulled back by the referee for obstruction.

And by the time Chris Satae had returned from the sin bin to stabilise the Dragons' defence, time ran out for the visitors.

Broncos Coach Mike Eccles is aware of the challenge ahead at Warrington in the Broncos' final fixture but with a resurgent Catalans at Hull on Saturday, anything can happen at the bottom next week.

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