Quins romp to easy win
Chris Melling was the hat-trick hero as Harlequins condemned sorry Salford to a third successive Super League defeat.
Last Updated: 06/03/09 11:06pm
Chris Melling was the hat-trick hero as Harlequins condemned sorry Salford to a third successive engage Super League defeat.
The ex-Wigan winger bagged his treble before the break as Harlequins ran out 48-18 victors to get back to winning ways after their battling home defeat by Wigan Warriors last time.
It was too easy for the visitors, who romped into a 22-0 lead midway through the first half and 30-6 at the interval.
Salford improved in the second half with converted tries from John Wilshere and Robbie Paul cutting the gap to 12 points before Chad Randall caught the home side napping to dart over from dummy half in the 69th minute and make it 36-18.
But Quins were not finished with Luke Dorn and Daniel Heckenberg crossing in the last four minutes and Danny Orr finishing with six goals from nine attempts.
Pre-match blow
Salford were dealt a pre-match blow with rising star Richie Myler ruled out with a broken hand to join Willie Talau, Mark Henry and Ian Sibbit on the sidelines.
Jordan Turner, Stefan Ratchford, Jason Walton and Adam Sidlow were handed their first games of the season but the home side's fragile defence - which had leaked 81 points in crushing defeats at Wakefield and Castleford - was again cruelly exposed.
Quins - who were weakened by the absence of skipper Rob Purdham, Luke Williamson and ex Salford forward Gareth Haggerty - took only 90 seconds to go ahead when Melling latched onto Orr's kick to cross in the corner.
Then David Howell bagged a brace in two minutes, bursting onto Dorn's grubber kick before taking Tony Clubb's smart pass to grab converted tries.
Salford were left chasing shadows with Joe Mbu adding to their woes when he swept over to stretch the lead to 22-0.
Hat-trick
The Reds managed to hold out for 10 minutes until Melling raced over in the corner for his second try and then completed his hat-trick.
Salford had to wait until the 39th minute before skipper Rob Parker crashed over with John Wilshere adding the conversion to make it 30-6.
But Parker's effort could not stop the Salford fans chanting "what a load of rubbish" as Shaun McRae's men trooped off the pitch.
McRae's half-time talk obviously had an effect with Karl Fitzpatrick on fire for the Reds, setting up Paul's try and having another disallowed.
Dorn then added Quins eighth try on his return to the Willows four minutes from time before Heckenberg completed the romp.
