Match report by Emma Holley
It was a tale of two halves this evening, as Trinity were unable to clinch a win against Salford Red Devils, despite a gutsy second-half comeback.
Trinity played their final game of 2020 tonight, and were close to overturning an eighteen point deficit, as they fought until the final whistle.
Salford would be the ones to open the scores just a minute into the match, as Krisnan Inu wrestled his way over from out wide.
Ten minutes in, Niall Evalds was over for the opposition, before Ed Chamberlain kicked a loose ball downfield, scooped up his own kick, to then score underneath the posts.
Trinity were finally on the score-board thirty minutes in, as Ryan Hampshire touched down – following a great break and try assist from Reece Lyne.
But Salford continued to dominate the opening half, as Andy Ackers made a break from the half-way line, before offloading to Tui Lolohea, who side-stepped the Trinity defenders to score.
The second half would see a thrilling Trinity comeback, inspired by a Kelepi Tanginoa try, who grounded a perfectly-awaited kick from Brad Walker.
Ryan Hampshire would then achieve a brace for the night, after finishing off a fantastic break made by Innes Senior.
A revitalised Trinity got their third try just six minutes later. This time it was Tanginoa who bagged his brace, as he used his strength to crash over, on the back of another great try-assist from Brad Walker.
Heading into the last ten minutes, Trinity were just four points behind.
It was to be Salford’s night however, as they capitalised late on to clinch a win. Tyrone McCarthy saw the Red Devils’ season out in style, as he pounced on Tui Lolohea’s grubber kick to score.
Despite a narrow defeat, Trinity will be able to take plenty of positives into 2021, following a string of wins, and great performances in the final games of the season.
Speaking to Sky Sports cameras, Chris Chester said:
“I thought we were good that second half. It’s been a challenging (year) for everyone, but we’ve stuck together and tried to fulfil all the fixtures.”
“I thought we finished the season really strong, so it’s a real positive. We’ve shown once we get our best out on the field, we can beat anybody, and we take a lot of confidence from that.”
Trinity: Hampshire, Senior, Tupou, Lyne, Jones-Bishop, Bailey, K. Wood, Kopczak, Bowes, Tanginoa, Pitts, Batchelor, Arona. Subs: Green, Fifita, Battye, B. Walker.
Tries: Hampshire (31,60), Tanginoa (51, 66).
Goals: Hampshire (3/4)
Red Devils: Evalds, Kear, Watkins, Chamberlain, Inu, Lolohea, Atkin, Mossop, Jones, Yates, Ormondroyd, Pauli, Flanagan. Subs: Ackers, Burke, McCarthy, Ikahihifo.
Tries: Inu (1), Evalds (9), Chamberlain (24), Lolohea (37), McCarthy (71).
Goals (4/5)