Edgell hat-trick helps Leeds overcome Salford
Alfie Edgell scored a hat-trick as Leeds Rhinos returned to winning ways with victory over Super League's bottom club Salford.The winger came up with two tries in the first half to fend off a combative Salford side who replied through Ryan Brierley and had an equalising try disallowed for obstruction as they competed well at Headingley.Leeds ironed out the errors and Salford ran out of steam in the second half as the Rhinos stretched clear. Lachie Miller went over, Edgell grabbed his third and Harry Newman, James McDonnell and Cooper Jenkins piled on the tries.The win sends Leeds, who lost at home to St Helens last week, back into fourth place and makes it three wins out of three this campaign against the troubled Red Devils.Rumours of a strike by Salford players had circulated earlier in the week amidst ongoing financial trouble at the club which has seen wages paid late, a salary cap imposed and an exodus of 11 senior players.A meeting between players, the club and RFL officials in midweek ensued, and Salford not only turned up but started strongly, buoyed by winning only their second game of the season last week, against Castleford Tigers.They were without key players Esan Marsters, Jayden Nikorima and Loghan Lewis but after Leeds had burst into life with Edgell's first two tries, they hit back as Brierley, forced to play stand-off in the reshuffle, touched down his own chip over the defence.Injury problems meant Salford handed Declan Murphy, who impressed on his debut against Cas last week, his first start and he had a marvellous solo try ruled out for obstruction by a team-mate as the Red Devils thought they had levelled the scores just before half-time.Leeds themselves had injury issues, losing props Tom Holroyd and Mikolaj Oledzki last week, but they showed their true form in the second half.Miller raced onto Jake Connor's reverse pass to score, and after Connor had opted to kick a penalty - a sure sign of respect for Salford's performance - the visitors had Matty Foster sin-binned for tackling Brodie Croft off the ball.Edgell completed his hat-trick from the resulting penalty, and then Newman began and finished a move for his eighth try of the season.Leeds continued to make full use of numerical advantage and young prop Presley Cassell, making his debut off the bench, drew a penalty with his first run.From the resulting attack McDonnell added another to the four tries he scored at Salford earlier in the season.Jenkins rounded off the scoring by touching down his first try for the club and Connor converted to make it seven successful kicks from eight.
Leeds: Miller, Hall, Newman, Handley, Edgell, Croft, Connor, Jenkins, O'Connor, Palasia, Bentley, McDonnell, Watkins.Interchanges: Ackers, Lisone, Smith, Cassell.Salford: Murphy, Ryan, D. Russell, Hankinson, Connell, Brierley, O. Russell, Ormondroyd, Mellor, C. Hill, Foster, Whitehead, Shorrocks.Interchanges: Morgan, Wilson, Glover, Chan.Referee: Liam Rush.
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