Reds on the brink

Salford City Reds are on the brink of relegation after losing 40-16 to Wigan Warriors at the JJB Stadium on Friday evening.

Trent Barrett was the creative fulcrum as the Warriors scored five tries in 20 minutes just after the interval to leave the Reds' survival hopes hanging by a thread.

Salford had looked on course to earn themselves a lifeline as they led 10-6 at half-time after tries from Karl Fitzpatrick and Paul Highton.

But the Barrett-inspired turnaround after the break means that Shaun McRae's men will be relegated if Hull KR win any of their three remaining fixtures, starting at neighbours Hull on Sunday.

Stylish start

Looking to boost their slim play-off hopes, Wigan started in style when, having accepted a delayed pass from Shane Millard, Barrett sprinted through a large gap to touch down.

Millard then touched down himself; however, Salford breathed a sigh of relief when he was penalised for a double movement.

And the visitors then levelled when a grubber kick from Luke Robinson was pounced upon by Fitzpatrick.

But Jon Wilshere failed to convert, with Salford then missing another chance to take the lead just before the half-hour when, Malcolm Alker, Wilshere and Robinson have set him up, Fitzpatrick dropped the final pass.

Tempers erupted five minutes before the interval when a goal line drop out earned by Wigan resulted in a mass brawl.

Wigan's David Vaealiki and Iafeta Paleaaesina and Salford's Stuart Littler all received yellow cards, with Pat Richards ignoring Wigan's one-man deficit to put them ahead with a penalty.

But Salford still entered the break 10-6 ahead - Highton stretching their defence to breaking point and Wilshere kicking the extras.

Full strength

Both sides were back to full strength four minutes into the second period, but it was Wigan who made it count with two tries in five minutes.

Mark Calderwood raced through to touch down the first, before a long pass from Barrett put through Vaealiki.

Richards converted both, but Wigan's eight-point advantage was cut to just two when Kevin McGuinness touched down a solo run and Wilshere converted.

However, a 40-20 inspired by Barrett enabled Paleaaesina to touch down, with Richards finding his target for the fourth time.

Barrett then kicked through after 63 minutes for Phil Bailey to score, with captain Sean O'Loughlin sealing the points after a break from Darrell Goulding.

Richards converted to make the score 36-16, with Calderwood adding his second of the evening late on.