Salford Red Devils and Widnes Vikings met at the City of Salford Stadium in tonights Thursday night fixture, with both eyeing fourth spot in Super League.

Camera shy Salford had not won in front of the SKY cameras for two years, however, the last side that they beat in a televised Super League game was today's opposition.

Salford Red Devils needed to show the rest of the competition that they mean business in 2015 but the bookies fancied the Vikings to collect the points.

The Devils got off to the best possible start with just three minutes on the clock when a Chase chip over the defence was grounded, one-handed in the corner, by Ben Jones-Bishop. Josh Griffin kicked the two.

On twelve Chase was again the provider, this time with a grubber kick which bounced nicely for Weller Hauraki to juggle, retain, and dive over. As Griffin kicked the two it was 12-0 to the home side and just the start that Iestyn Harris would have been dreaming of.

On the half hour Michael Dobson went close after a break and in holding down to allow his side to get back in a defensive line, Stefan Marsh was judged to have committed a professional foul and saw yellow from referee Ben Thaler. From the penalty Rangi Chase put Greg Johnson over in the right corner, too far from the posts for Griffin to kick the extras.

Despite dominating for the opening thirty the Devils took their foot off the gas and threw the Viking a lifeline in the lead up to half-time. On thirty-three Paddy Flynn found acres of space down the wing to cross and improve the angle to make the Owens conversion a simple one. Owens added another two on the interval after a Devils shoulder charge, and after totally bossing the game the Red Devils lead was just 16-8.

But the interval re-set the Devils and the second half was one way traffic as they scored four tries and shut out the Vikings.

Early in the half Caton-Brown had a try ruled out by the Video Referee but two minutes later Chase put Tasi in for his first Super League try for the Devils. On fifty-two the Devils forced a goal-line drop-out and as they returned the ball Josh Griffin went two metres to score in the corner despite the keen attention of two defenders. He failed with the two but at 26-8 the game was already in the bag.

Just after the hour and a Dobson kick was collected by Paterson to fall over the line and five minutes later a reverse pass from substitute Liam Hood put Scott Taylor through a gap to score the last try of the evening. Josh Griffin goaled to seal a very impressive 36-8 win.

The Devils put in their best performance of the season and dominated every aspect of the game. But for taking their eye off the ball for the last ten of the first half they would have totally demolished a Vikings side who've put in some pretty impressive performances themselves so far in Super League XX.

The Red Devils go fourth, just where Dr Koukash wants them, and on tonight's performance they must be a great bet for a top eight position before the Super eights, and they have an outside shot at one of the crucial top four spots at the end of the year.

Devils: Locke, Jones-Bishop, Griffin J, Caton-Brown, Johnson, Chase, Dobson, Taylor, Lee, Morley, Hauraki, Paterspn, Hansen. Subs: Tasi, Griffin D, Hood, Forster.

Vikings: Hanbury, Flynn, Marsh, Phelps, Owens, Heremaia, Mellor, Dudson, O'Carroll, Gerrard, Dean, Clarkson, Leuluai Subs: Gore, Manuokafoa, Kavanagh, Joseph.


Referee: Ben Thaler
Attendance: 3,476