http://www.reds.co.uk/ Latest News for Salford Reds Rugby News Salford boss Brian Noble found encouragement in his team's performance, despite the 28-7 defeat to his old club Bradford in the Super League on Friday night.The Reds led 7-6 until Matty Blythe crossed twice just before half-time in a match which kicked off 15 minutes late when Bradford were delayed by a motorway accident.Play was then held up for almost 10 minutes in the second half when Chris Nero received treatment for a neck injury.Nero was carried off on a stretcher with his neck in a brace and taken to hospital but Noble said: "We are hopeful the injury isn't as bad as it first appeared."It was worrying for a time but it looks like Chris will be okay. There was no foul play involved and it was just an accident."The Reds were thrashed 52-6 at Warrington in the cup last week but Noble said: "This was a big improvement. We were unlucky to be losing at half-time and for 50 minutes I thought we were the better team."But then we contributed to our own downfall and didn't stick to the script."We didn't kick the ball as well as we had and didn't finish the sets as we should have done."But Andrew Dixon was the best player on the field and I remain positive about what we can do." http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/noble-encouraged-despite-defeat Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/noble-encouraged-despite-defeat-20130517120000 http://images.reds.co.uk/gallery/gallery/noble_watching.jpg Rugby News It's Friday it's big match time. Tonight at Salford City Stadium the Reds take on the Bradford Bulls. With a home win last time Brian Noble will be looking to his team to pick up another two points. Join us for all the pre-match coverage, and then from 8pm live, text-based commentary with your legendary team. Come along and leave us your comments, no matter where you are in the world, or even if you are in the Stadium armed with your trust smartphone. http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/matchday-centre-live-reds-v-bulls Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/matchday-centre-live-reds-v-bulls-20130517120000 http://images.reds.co.uk/gallery/gallery/james_wigan.jpg Rugby News David Clegg and Brian Noble Preview Friday’s Match With Bradford - It was with feelings of frustration and disappointment that everyone left the Provident Stadium, Odsal, back on Easter Monday, having come so close to registering our first away win of the season.  On that occasion, the Reds had travelled over the Pennines on the back of a resounding victory over league leaders Huddersfield, four days earlier, at the Salford City Stadium.Such had been the confidence running through the club, as a result of that remarkable victory, that the players really felt that they had underperformed in not coming away with the spoils, once more, against the Bradford Bulls.The opportunity to assuage that defeat comes on Friday evening for the return home fixture, but far from the air of optimism that pervaded the team, last time, this fixture comes hard on the heels of an extremely disappointing performance in, and exit from, the Challenge Cup, at the hands of Warrington.Confidence and self-belief will undoubtedly be at a low ebb following that, and head coach Brian Noble acknowledges the importance of helping the players get over the emotion that goes with such a defeat.  To that end, therefore, time has been spent analysing and discussing the performance, backed up with video evidence, all of which will have enabled players to see for themselves the areas upon which they need to work.  Brian believes that the most important outcome from all of this is their acknowledgement of the necessity to improve.  In some respects it could be helpful that it is a short turnaround, this week, as this will have ensured that attention very quickly turned to this week’s game.  He certainly does not expect motivation to be an issue for any player, after last weekend.  Our players are professionals and they will want to prove themselves to be so, by means of a vastly improved performance, on Friday.Not only that, Brian also feels that they owe it to the fans, whom he states were fabulous at Warrington, on Sunday, in the way they out-sang the Warrington fans, and urged on the team, despite the scoreline.One specific area in which he is looking for improvement is the physical element of the game.  Knowing how physical a side Bradford have been over the years, this would alarm many people, but Brian sees it differently.  He believes that the root of the problem is more likely to have been as a result of some of the things the Reds  could and should have done at Warrington, and that in improving those aspects would mean that Bradford are denied the opportunity to be physically dominant.His view is undoubtedly supported by the fact that one of the few standout players, last weekend, was young Theo Fages, whom Brian described as outstanding. He also felt that Liam Foran, Darrel Griffin and Martin Gleeson contributed much to the game.  With corresponding improvements from other members of the team, Brian feels that there is a great deal more that this squad of players can give.Referee – Mr T RobyTJs – J Cobb, G StokesIGs – T Maher, G ToweySalford’s 19 Man Squad 2 JODIE BROUGHTON3 ASHLEY GIBSON4 MARTIN GLEESON6 LEE GASKELL7 LIAM FORAN11 MATTY ASHURST12 ANDREW DIXON13 STEPHEN WILD14 WAYNE GODWIN15 CHRIS NERO16 VIC MAURO20 ADAM NEAL21 THEO FAGES22 MARC SNEYD23 RYAN McGOLDRICK25 NIALL EVALDS27 DARRELL GRIFFIN35 ADAM WALNE http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/preview-time-to-put-things-right Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/preview-time-to-put-things-right-20130515120000 http://images.reds.co.uk/gallery/gallery/noble_koukash.jpg Rugby News David Clegg and Pete Carey Look Ahead To Saturday’s U210s Game Against Halifax - Having got back into winning ways last Thursday, away at Keighley, the U20s will be looking to build upon this with a further victory, at home, against a Halifax side who appear to have struggled, thus far through the season.  Their solitary victory came back on 27th Feb, when they defeated Rochdale Hornets by 42 points to 12 but since then they have lost twice to Keighley and Featherstone, and also conceded the points against York, Leigh, and Oldham.  Not that the City Reds can afford to take anything for granted,  and they will again be turning out the strongest side they can muster, although they will be lacking the services of Will Hope, who picked up a shoulder injury in last week’s visit to Cougar Park.  He will be replaced in the pack by Jordan Davies, who operated in the centre last week.  The change of position will enable Jordan to be more heavily involved in the game, and he will have more opportunity to utilise his defensive skills, which caught the eye of those who saw his debut performance, last week.In fact, defence has been the order of the day for the team, in general.  Coach, Pete Carey, has been quite satisfied with the overall improvement in attack, but rather concerned at the ease with which tries have been scored by our opponents.  Consequently, a lot of work has been done in terms of tackling technique and defensive structures, particularly with the less experienced members of the squad.  Those players who have first team contracts are, however, well versed in all of this, from their sessions with the first team, so they will therefore be able to hone these skills in an actual game situation, on Saturday.Pete admits that this has been a really tough week for the players, not only physically, but also in the intensity of the work undertaken.  He is, however, keen to see how they carry this forward into the match.  After all the proof of the pudding will be in how few points they concede.Referee –A BenthamTJs – M Nicholson, M BannermanKO 2.30    Venue – Salford City Stadium        Admission - £4 Adults£2 ConcessionaryFree – Season Ticket Holders http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/u20s-preview-defence-in-spotlight Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/u20s-preview-defence-in-spotlight-20130515120000 http://images.reds.co.uk/gallery/gallery/academy_leigh_2013.jpg Ticket News Last year’s Magic Weekend was one of the most memorable days in years for Reds supporters as the team pulled out all the stops to shock high-flying Huddersfield Giants on one of the Super League’s biggest stages!In case you’ve forgotten check out the highlights video – five minutes of action guaranteed to put a smile on your face!The team were inspired by a large and vocal Reds following who really got the party started at The Etihad Stadium in what is widely regarded as the best Magic Weekend so far. Magic 2014 is fast approaching now and it’s time to show the rest of Super League once again that you write off the Reds at your peril!If you haven’t bought yours yet tickets are available NOW by clicking here: http://reds.ticketline.co.uk/the-magic-weekend and remember, if you’re a Reds season ticket holder you’re entitled to 50% discount! All you have to do to claim this is either visit the Stadium Ticket Office in person or call the Ticket Hotline on 0844 888 0200!Day Tickets for the Sunday start at just £15 for adults and £7.50 for concessions, or for those who just can’t get enough Weekend Tickets which take in an entire round of Super League start at £22.50 for adults and £11.25 for concessions! MAGIC HOSPITALITY However, if you want to treat yourself and your family or colleagues to an extra-special day out, why not consider booking some fantastic hospitality and see the Reds in style at the Etihad. With prices from as little as £109+VAT you could be watching all the games from an exclusive executive box vantage point after a drinks reception, three-course buffet and high-tea. You will also get VIP car-parking, a souvenir programme and a Q&A with guest speakers. To find out more about this great offer simply contact Andrew Bentham on 0161 820 2738 x2506 / 07789 220597 or email andrew.bentham@reds.co.uk http://www.reds.co.uk/ticket-news/remember-the-magic Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.reds.co.uk/ticket-news/remember-the-magic-20130514120000 http://images.reds.co.uk/gallery/gallery/etihad.jpg Rugby News Reds’ head Coach Brian Noble has added two new faces to his coaching roster in the form of Assistants Stuart Donlan and Andy Hay.Stuart recently left the same role at Castleford Tigers after a Super League career at both Huddersfield and Castleford having started at Leigh.Andy this week departed Hull FC to join the Reds. The former England international played in a Grand Final for Leeds and has also held the assistant’s position at the Tigers.Noble said: “Both come to us with an excellent pedigree. We are virtually up to where we should be now with the strength of our backroom team. Both are straight into it now and it will allow us to spend more time working with individuals." http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/noble-adds-donlan-and-hay-to-coaching-lineup Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/noble-adds-donlan-and-hay-to-coaching-lineup-20130513120000 http://images.reds.co.uk/gallery/gallery/noble_logo.jpg Community News Salford City Reds Foundation are delighted to be hosting their inaugural Summer Beerfest, supported by Robinsons, on the weekend of 7/8/9th June 2013 at the Salford City Stadium - Kicking off on the Friday evening, you will get the chance to sample over 60 local beers from the north of England and 20 ciders. If that isnt for you then there will even be a wine bar on site for those with more refined taste buds.There will be entertainment throughout the day with a local rock band playing classics from early evening onwards every day. Alongside the alcohol there will be plenty to eat with the usual assortment of hog roasts and burger stands. There will be plenty of Salford City Reds personalities about over the weekend, so keep an eye out for which Reds players will be pulling some pints! Families are welcome during the day with all accompanied under 18 year olds allowed in until 7pm for free.Entrance on the day is £5, which includes your event glass, programme and first half pint of the day. Demand will be high so we encourage you to buy your tickets early. This can be done at reception of the Salford City Stadium. Everyone who pre-purchases their tickets will be entered into a prize draw for a range of prizes including VIP tickets at the Reds, free meals at Nandos, Rugby League World Cup Final tickets and much more.Sponsored by Robinsons all proceeds from the fun packed event will go to the Salford City Reds FoundationFor more information please call a member of the Foundation team on 0161 820 2739 http://www.reds.co.uk/community-news/reds-foundation-launch-summer-beerfest Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.reds.co.uk/community-news/reds-foundation-launch-summer-beerfest-20130513120000 http://images.reds.co.uk/gallery/gallery/beerfest.jpg Rugby News Salford City Reds have continued to tie up their exciting your talent on deals for the future and Niall Evalds is the latest to commit to a new two-year deal at the Club, following on from Marc Sneyd’s extension earlier this week.Niall has burst onto the scene this season after a scintillating Academy season in 2012, scoring a couple of spectacular tries in the process, including a length of the field effort at Champions Leeds Rhinos.Reds’ Alan Hunte, who guided both through the junior ranks at the Reds said: “We are really pleased to announce these deals this week. Both Niall and Marc Sneyd have come through our ranks and as supporters have seen this season, both are incredibly exciting talents capable of making a real impact on this competition over the coming years.”“Things are changing at Salford are we are delighted that the two lads have committed to our vision for the future of the Reds.” http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/starlet-evalds-commits-to-reds-future Fri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/starlet-evalds-commits-to-reds-future-20130510120000 http://images.reds.co.uk/gallery/gallery/evalds_leeds.jpg Rugby News Brian Noble And David Clegg Look Ahead To Sunday’s Cup Tie With WarringtonThis is the weekend of the underdog, of the less fancied, and of the no-hopers, because that is what cup tie rugby is all about.  Not that every match brings about a surprise, for if that were the case, there would be no surprise about it. There is however, around this time in the competition, usually a result which stands out as rather unexpected, and it is that which inspires every player of every club to pull out all the stops in the hope that they are the ones to be the talk of the sporting media, the following Monday morning.Head coach, Brian Noble, however, goes further.  He says that there is definitely a different attitude of players towards cup matches born out of a number of issues.  Players know that they are going into a playoff series in which every game is crucial and every game can, potentially, be the last; ‘trap door football’, he calls it.Then, of course, there is the lure of Wembley.  The thought of lifting the Challenge Cup at Wembley is every player’s dream, and as Brian says, is woven into the folklore of rugby league.  Always at the back of everyone’s mind is the knowledge that there are no further chances if you slip up once.That thought must lie very heavily upon the shoulders of players in teams, which are expected to progress all the way – to teams like Warrington, in fact.  No side has been more successful in recent years than the Wolves, who lifted the trophy last year for the third time in four years, and therein lies the size of the challenge facing the City Reds.Last week’s game was a big step up from their previous week’s encounter with Castleford, and the increase in the pace of the Wigan game caught the Reds out, in the opening stages.  This week, there is no big change, just more of the same, and it is therefore incumbent upon every player to start at the pace to which they ultimately had to raise their performance, for spells, last week.  Then, this time, just maintain it for the full eighty minutes.No small ask then, but if Salford players were to do that, and let us remember that over the years they have done reasonably well at Warrington, then the weight of those high expectations at the Halliwell Jones, might just begin to feel something of a millstone.Certainly, according to Brian, everyone within the camp is working hard to improve both performance and commitment.  He believes that at this level, potentially, every game is winnable, but that winning comes as a by-product from other issues, such as preparation and improvement.Given that those ingredients are in evidence, in his words, ‘Anything can happen in the cup!’Referee – Mr R HicksTJs – P Brook, M CravenIGs – P Graham, A Smith19 Man SquadJodie BroughtonAshley GibsonMartin GleesonLiam ForanMatty AshurstAndrew DixonSteve WildWayne GodwinVic MauroJordan JamesAdam NealTheo FagesMarc SneydRyan McGoldrickDarrell GriffinAdam WalneJake EmmittLee GaskellChris Nero http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/preview-thrills-and-spills-of-the-challenge-cup Fri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/preview-thrills-and-spills-of-the-challenge-cup-20130510120000 http://images.reds.co.uk/gallery/gallery/mcgoldrick.jpg Rugby News An excellent, disciplined second half performance saw Salford’s U20s return to winning ways with a convincing victory over Keighley Cougars, at Cougar Park, in which the City Reds proved to themselves the value of playing to instructions.After building up a comfortable 16 point lead in the opening 20 mins, the Reds took their foot off the gas in the second quarter, allowing Keighley far more room than should have been the case, from which they were able to mount their own attacks on the Salford line, and eventually pulled back to 10-16, with two tries of their own, the first of which was converted.A reminder, over half time of the benefit of hard work, effort and commitment, was enough to rouse the passion in the side, and when the home side gained a spate of possession close to the Salford line, in the first ten minutes, it was the Keighley attack, which was put under pressure from the Reds’ hard working defence.  Once Salford eventually regained possession, thanks to excellent covering, by Kyle Dolan, from a Keighley kick into the in-goal area, the Reds quickly went to the other end of the field to score the first of three converted tries within a ten minute period, to add to an earlier score, shortly after the resumption, taking the scoreline to an unassailable 10-38 lead.  Three players, George Tyson, Will Hope, and Edwin Okanga-Ajwang each scored a brace of tries.The Cougars were a much stronger and more experienced side from the squad which had succumbed 68-12 to the City Reds, two weeks earlier, and never gave up, scoring the last try of the game, in appalling conditions, five minutes from time, to bring about the final score.Of particular interest to the travelling Salford fans was the inclusion of Jordan Davies, the Reds’ rugby union capture from Sale.  The big centre responded well, particularly in defence, where he made some particularly telling tackles, and rounded it all off with a 55m try, after he recovered possession, in space, from a Keighley error.Coach, Pete Carey, was well satisfied with the way his side responded in the second half, and felt that they had gone some way to rectifying their disappointing performance the week earlier, at Featherstone.  He was particularly impressed with members of his pack, notably Alex Davidson and Will Hope, whilst Aiden Hema, George Tyson, and Chris Hankinson all performed most creditably. A Keighley error receiving the ball from the kick off, gifted possession to the Reds, from which they started the game with two back to back sets. Unfortunately, a wild pass lost them the opportunity for an early score and they had to wait until the tenth minutes before they crossed for their first try, when Alex Davidson slipped a pass to George Tyson, who scored to the left of the posts with Dan Lomax converting.Salford dominatad not only possession but also field position, and it came as no surprise when they scored two tries in two minutes.  A good end of set kick forced a goal line drop out, from which good slick handling saw the ball go out to the right where Edwin Okanga-Ajwang exploited the space there to cross in the corner, on 17 mins, and extend the lead to 0-10.Direct from the kick off a strong run by Davidson was supported by scrum half Holmes and George Tyson rounded off the play with his second try towards the left corner, converted by Lomax. 0-16If the City Reds thought that that was job done they had reckoned without the determination of the Keighley Cougars, who took advantage of two penalties to gain a foothold in the Salford 20m area.  As if conceding the penalties was not bad enough, they then stood off the Cougars attack allowing them the opportunity to score through loose forward Charlie Eccleston, on 26 mins.  Ben Stead struck his one and only successful conversion.Five minutes later, the Cougars got within striking distance as a result of an error by Liam Doolan in fielding a chip through, and full back Luke Morby scored in the corner, to take the home side to within six points.  Indeed it took a tremendous cover tackle from Chris Hankinson, six minutes before the end of the half, to prevent another possible score, but that tackle in itself inspired his fellow defenders, on the next play to force an attacking Cougar into touch thereby regaining possession for the Reds and securing their half time lead.The City Reds started the second half with an immediate response to their halftime instructions, by forcing a goal line drop out, from which Edwin Okanga-Ajwang scored again in the corner, for the last unconverted Salford try of the game.Following ten minutes of intense goal line pressure from Keighley, Will Hope led the charge from defence into attack, sent a great pass out to Okanga-Ajwang, and then, as the centre ran towards the posts, put himself in position for the return pass, scoring close in for the conversion by Lomax to put the Reds in a more comfortable 10-26 lead.Five minutes later, as the ball was again moved from left to right, on 61 minutes, Hope himself, cut through at a great angle, for another try near the posts. 10-32Sadly, the young loose forward was destined not to finish the game, picking up a shoulder injury on 72 min, and having to leave the field, but not before Davies had rounded off a good night for the City Reds. Keighley’s third and final score went to winger, Luke Whitely David Clegg http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/keighley-u20s-14-salford-u20s-38 Fri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 +0100 http://www.reds.co.uk/rugby-news/keighley-u20s-14-salford-u20s-38-20130510120000 http://images.reds.co.uk/gallery/gallery/academy_leigh_2013.jpg