Salford Red Devils knew that a win in round nineteen was crucial to their top six aspirations with a win over the much-improved Castleford Tigers able to take them clear of the pack of two other teams being chased down by the Leeds Rhinos for the sixth play-off place.

While Salford lost their last two outings, Castleford have won their last three matches and were keen on a fourth on the bounce, a win for the Tigers would see them up above the Huddersfield Giants and into a ninth place which had looked a distant prospect just a few weeks ago.

The bookies had Salford as the favourites, but not by much, with an eight-point start on the coupon for the visitors.

Tim Lafai was held up over the line on five minutes as Salford got off to a great start in the opening exchanges. On Salford’s next set Deon Cross was held up just short before the Red Devils forced a goal line dropout. Castleford doing well to absorb the pressure.

Under he kosh for the first fourteen minutes it was the Tigers who opened the scoring with a training pitch move, Jason Qareqare on hand to collect a Rowan Milnes cross field kick for a simple walk-in try as the Red Devils defence failed to cover. Milnes added the conversion from wide for a 6-0 lead, the Salford crowd less than happy.

Saford were back on level pegging on twenty-four with Nene MacDonald pushing over the line off a Marc Sneyd pass to ground despite the effort of two Tigers defenders. Sneyd added the conversion to tie the sides up at 6-6.

MacDonald was denied a second try on twenty-seven with Tigers plyers getting their bodies between the ball and the ground. Two minutes later MacDonald had another try ruled out for a knock-on as he jumped to take a kick towards the posts.

A late hit from Liam Horne saw the Tigers man yellow carded for a hit on Ollie Partington with seven minutes of the half remaining. It took four minutes for Salford to take advantage, Ryan Brierley running the angle to round the defence and score in the right corner. Sneyd was on target for a 12-6 lead at the interval.

Salford had the best of the possession and position at the start of the second half, but as in the first it was Castleford who got the first try, Qareqare again on a big overlap to sprint ten metres and leap to score one-handed in the corner. Milnes drifted his kick between the uprights from the far touchline, the teams all square again.

On fifty-five the Tigers saw a chink of light and exploited is as Elie El-Zakhem spotted a gap, avoided an ankle tap, and accelerated into the corner. This time the conversion was wide of the mark, but the Tigers were four ahead.

On the hour it was the Red Devils who struck back, an Ethan Ryan intercept some thirty metres from his own line saw the Salford winger sprint away from the chasers and avoid a last ditch attempted ankle tap to go over. Sneyd added the conversion for an 18-16 lead with eighteen minutes remaining.

Castleford were down to twelve men on sixty-four as Sylvester Namo was sin-binned for a shoulder to head impact on Partington. The odds now against Castleford.

It took just a minute for the high tackle victim Partington to extend the Salford lead as he hit a gap in the stretched and scrambling Tigers defence to dive over five from the left upright. Sneyd added the conversion and with an eight point lead the Red Devils had the points in the bag. Sneyd added the conversion for an eight-point lead.

The flood gates had opened, Chris Hankinson supporting another Salford break after Brierley and Lafai had done all the running. Sneyd was again on target for 30-16, the scoreline was looking unfair to the Tigers.

Luis Johnson grabbed a fourth Castleford try on seventy-one as he stepped out of a tackle and then rolled over the line to ground under the sticks. Milnes added the goal for 22-30.

Salford managed to ride out the return to thirteen for their opponents and they took the two points which are crucial for their top six aspirations as they move above the Catalans Dragons and St Helens into fourth spot in the table. Castleford’s winning run came to an end and they are all but out of the play-offs, nine points behind the side in sixth place. This was no walk in the park for the Red Devils, the Tigers much improved on their early season performances.

Salford Red Devils: Brierley (T), Ryan (T), MacDonald (T), Lafai, Cross, Nikorima, Sneyd (4/4 G), Singleton, Shorrocks, Bullock, Stone, Watkins, Partington (T). Subs: Wright, Hankinson (T), Mellor, Lewis. 18th Man: Wilson. 

Castleford Tigers: Hoy, Qareqare (2T), Hall, Mellor, Senior, Milnes (3/4 G), Miller, Griffin, Horne (SB on 33), Mustapha, Lawler, El-Zakhem (T), Westerman.  Subs: Hall, Namo (SB on 64), Robb, Johnson (T). 18th Man: Hill.

Half-Time: 12-6.

Full-Time: 30-22.

Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, 4-6, 6-6, (SB), 10-6, 12-6 : HT: 12-10, 12-12, 12-16, 16-16, 18-16, (SB), 22-16, 24-16, 28-16, 30-16, 30-20, 30-22 :FT.

Lead Exchanges: Castleford – Square – Salford – Square – Castleford – Square - Salford.

Referee: Chris Kendall.