Early Bath wrote:I also remember when the same tactic failed - Wigan away (twice), Hull FC, Wakey, Cas, HKR etc At Leeds we played with a fair degree of flair and I want to see a return to the attitude employed that day.
Wigan away in the cup just after half time we had them on the rack, made them drop out putting a fair bit of pressure on them then silly ball out wide, knock on then we gave away a penalty giving wigan possesion and field possition which we never recovered
Wigan in the league we were not switched on for the 1st 20 minutes and they battered us out of sight if i remember corretly we had a few half chances to close the gap before half time but didnt take them
Both the FC games we threw away, the home game Rachford kicking the ball dead after being given a suiside ball by wilshire bit better composure by both wilshire and Rachford and we might have knicked it, away from home just before half time Rachford not finding touch with 5 mins to go, we get a 2nd chance to clear our lines with 3 to go then a salford player (might have been sibbit but im not 100%) knocks on turns the ball over Hull go over just before half time and go on to win the game
Wakey away bit dire but at 18-12 (? or somthing round there) Sibbits disalowed try as henry was said to be offside from a cross field kick, bit of a dispute on boots and all if i remember rightly if the deciton was correct but the decition stands, salford pushed the ball a bit after that with time ticking away we knock on around our 40 yrd line wakefield with good field possition finished the job.
Cas from what remember we were awful, reaily bad and we deserved what we got that night.
Hull KR 2nd half they just stepped up a gear in the 2nd half and we couldnt handle it physically and mentally.
The reasons we beat leeds that day were:
1) Leeds turned over a lot of ball- it didnt seem like it at the time but Leeds coundnt get of their 40m, we got a lot of 50/50 calls that day which all teams need sometimes.
2) Our Completion rate - it was fantastic if i remember rightly, we made very few mistakes to release the pressure on leeds and we got rewarded for that
3) Our defence - Smith and Turner was brilliant that day defensivly, particually turner who leeds peppered all afternoon with crashballs with big forwards on the outside, never missed one
4) We took our chances - ever time we got a sniff we scored, leeds couldnt handle it, they came roaring back like true champions at the end but we gave them the sucker punch and ran out worthy winners in the end
With a bit more composure and intelegence around the field thoughout the 80 mins the games we lost we could/should have won and we'd be in a much healther possion in the league where we are now.
The crutial time for any salford side ive seen is 5 mins before half time, 5 mins after half time and 5 mins to go till the end, this is the time the players switch off or make duff decitions which put extra pressure on ourselves.
As a team the players have to be active and not reactive in situations if they want to achieve success, this is where we fall down badly and it needs addressing with our coaching team.