Ian Rigg reports from The Willows

Salford bounced back from last weeks defeat at Oldham to win the second Manchester Derby in three weeks to complete the double over the Lions and claim top spot for progress to the next round.

Lions coach Paul Kidd with an eye on next weeks cup tie in Cumbria chose to give some more of his squad players a chance in the side and in fact the whole back line had changed from the victory at Rochdale last weekend.

The Reds took the lead in the ninth minute when the Lions put a long kick down into the opposition half and Stephan Ratchford brought it back up field to feed Andy Ballard who raced away to score under the posts and add the goal points.

Three minutes later the Lions were penalised just inside the Reds half and again they made the Lions pay when Ian Sibbit crossed on the left and Ballard converted. The home-side then ran in two tries in three minutes midway through the half when John Wilshere and Jordan Turner both scored and Ballard added one more conversion.

Swinton had their first attack on the Salford line in the twenty-fourth minute but rock solid defence stopped any progress. The Lions were then hit with four tries in eleven minutes before the break when Malcolm Alker, Richard Myler, Matt Gardner and Lee Jewitt all crossed through some weak defence and Ballard converted all four to give the home side a 46-0 interval lead.

The Lions started the second half stronger and had a few chances on the Reds line with the closest chance coming when Richie Hawkyard kicked for the corner for Barry Hamilton but the ball just over ran the winger.

Salford soon got back in their stride and again ran in three tries in six minutes when Karl Fitzpatrick scored one and Gardner grabbed a brace to complete his hat trick with Ballard adding one conversion.

Gary Sykes went close for the Lions on sixty-two minutes only to be knocked into touch as he went for the corner.

Paul White added the next Reds try three minutes later when he picked up a loose Swinton pass to score and Ballard goaled. The Lions were awarded their first penalty in the sixty-sixth minute and from this pressure Chris Hull went close.

Chris Brand scored Swinton’s try in the seventy-second minute after good play by Sykes down the left and Hawkyard added the conversion from the touchline.

The reds final try came three minutes from time when White collected a long pass to score in the corner but Ballard could not convert.