That it would take a Salford fan of a certain age to recall the last time their club http://www.officialmarinershop.com/Luis_Sardinas_Jersey walked out at Wembley in the Challenge Cup final perhaps best underlines the extraordinary journey one of Super League’s traditional strugglers currently find themselves on. Eight months removed from that dramatic day in Hull when they preserved their Super League status in the Million Pound Game, Ian Watson’s side, who sit second in Super League, now find themselves within one victory of a first Wembley appearance since 1969 after this serene progression through the quarter-finals. It will be Salford’s first semi-final appearance since 1998. That day they lost 22-18 to the eventual winners, Sheffield Eagles. On this form, few would fancy facing them in the last four when the draw is made on Sunday afternoon. Back-to-back defeats, including one to Wakefield a fortnight ago, had seen some wondering whether the wheels were beginning to come off following their impressive start to the season – this was as emphatic a response as Watson could have hoped for. RFL contemplates moving Challenge Cup final away from Wembley Stadium Read more “We were watching on from the stand and thinking: ‘Wow, they’re nailing this,’” he said. “We’re on a real journey here and getting to Wembley would be massive. I couldn’t tell you the last time we won silverware so it’d obviously be huge.” That Watson, a proud Nelson Cruz Womens Jersey Salfordian, struggles to recall their limited honour roll emphasises how few and far between major successes have been. When they lost to Castleford in 1969 – what a treat it would be to see them meet again come August– it was their sole post-war appearance in the final. Furthermore, Salford are two victories away from a second Challenge Cup crown, the first coming way back in 1938. They were far too good for an injury-hit and below-par Wakefield. Like Salford, Trinity have been one of the surprise packages this season but with more than half a dozen key players missing they, perhaps unsurprisingly, looked jaded and below their best. After departing the cup at the semi-final stage last year, Trinity’s form collapsed. An already assured place in the top eight come the split next month is success within itself, but Chris Chester must now pick up his side and regroup. Advertisement “From minute one to minute 80 we were dominated in every aspect of the game,” he said. It is hard to argue. By half-time Trinity had collapsed, as tries from Authentic Dylan Bundy Youth Jersey Ryan Lannon, Ben Murdoch-Masila and Niall Evalds opened up a 20-0 half-time lead that the Red Devils completely deserved. They would not relent after the interval either, with tries from Greg Johnson and Craig Kopczak ensuring Salford would put the result beyond doubt before the hour mark had passed. By then, their fans had begun celebrating and dreaming of a first trip to Wembley in 48 years. Not even Liam Finn’s late try could prevent that. Salford Red Devils: Evalds; Bibby, Welham, Sa’u, Johnson; Lui, Dobson; Tasi, Tomkins, Kopczak, Murdoch-Masila, Lannon, Flanagan. Interchange: Griffin, Brinning, Carney, Hauraki. Tries Lannon, Murdoch-Masila, Evalds, Johnson http://www.officialcelticsproshop.com/Isaiah_Thomas_JerseyKopczak. Goals Dobson 5 Wakefield: Grix; B Tupou, Lyne, Arundel; Caton-Brown; Williams, Finn; England, Wood, A Walker, Hadley, Ashurst, Sio. Interchange: Crowther, Annakin, Hirst, Huby. Try Finn. Goal Finn. Referee: R Hicks
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