An intriguing mid-table Sunday afternoon encounter saw a ninth placed Wakefield Trinity host a Salford Red Devils side occupying sixth spot in the table with a chance to leapfrog the three sides ahead of them and complete round seven in the top half of the table.

Salford were nilled by the Wigan Warriors in the Challenge Cup last weekend while Trinity recorded a second consecutive win over the Warrington Wolves to make progress in that competition and as a result the bookies made the home side the favourites giving the Red Devils a six-point start on the coupon.

Wakefield opened the scoring as Jacob Miller went over down the left-hand side off a Tom Johnstone pass to open the Trinity account. Mason Lino added the conversion for a 6-0 lead after eight minutes.

It was an instant response from Salford with Tim Lafai involved as he passed to Rhys Williams to go over in the corner. Marc Sneyd was unable to add the conversion.

Johnstone rose above Tim Lafai to take a Miller cross field kick to ground his first of the afternoon and put Trinity further ahead. Jowitt added the conversion for 12-4. It had been a tremendous start for Trinity and Johnstone.

Just after the half hour mark Johnstone turned defence into attack as he broke downfield and a couple of tackles later Reece Lyne took the inside pass to canter in under the sticks. Jowitt added his second conversion of the game for 18-4, Trinity taking the opportunities whenever they presented themselves.

Liam Hood had a try ruled out on thirty-five for a double movement, the Red Devils finally getting a bit of luck.

Johnstone scored his second just before the half time hooter as he weaved his way through a poor Red Devils defence to dive over under the stick and give Jowitt a simple conversion for a 24-4 half time lead after an exemplary first half from the home side.

It was first blood in the second half for the Red Devils with Ryan Brierley putting in the final pass for Deon Cross to go in. Sneyd added the conversion from wide for 10-24.

The start of the second half was all Salford pressure and on fifty-four Brierley was again the provider, this time for Ken Sio to dive in at the corner. Sneyd drifted his kick wide of the uprights, the deficit down to ten points.

Rhys Williams leapt to take a cross field kick on sixty-six to go ten metres for his second of the afternoon and Salford were right back in the game. Sneyd was wide with his conversion attempt, the sides now separated by just a single converted try with just over ten minutes left in the clock, unthinkable at the interval.

Wakefield nerves were settled on seventy-two with Jay Pitts getting in on the scoring act taking a Kay pass after he´d collected a Lino kick. Jowitt was accurate with the boot for 30-18.

Arona was sin-binned on seventy-nine for a professional foul as he delayed the play the ball and on the first play the ball from the penalty Sio coasted in for his second of the game. Sneyd added the extras after the final hooter as Wakefield held on for a 30-24 win.

Wakefield were fantastic in the first half and raced into a good lead, but took their foot off the pedal and allowed the Red Devils back into the game in the early exchanges of the second half. Just when it looked like it was going to get very exciting, Jay Pitts popped up to score the clincher for Wakefield as they secured an important win to go sixth in the table, swapping places with Salford as they dropped to ninth on points difference.

Wakefield Trinity:  Jowitt (4G), Johnstone (2T), Hall, Lyne (T), Kay, Miller (T), Lino (G), Tanginoa, Hood, Arona (SO on 79), Ashurst, Pitts (T), Batchelor. Subs:  Whitbread, Crowther, Battye, Aydin.

Salford Red Devils: Brierley, Williams (2T), Cross, Lafai, Sio (2T), Croft, Sneyd, Vuniyayawa, Ackers, Gerrard, Lannon, Taylor, Ormondroyd. Subs: Burke, Atkin, Luckley, Akauola.

Half-Time: 24-4.

Full-Time: 30-24.

Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 6-4, 10-4, 12-4, 16-4, 18-4, 22-4, 24-4 : HT : 24-8, 24-10, 24-14, 24-18, 28-18, 30-18, 30-22, 30-24: FT.

Referee: Chris Kendall.