Salford (22) 42
Tries: M Smith 3, Holdsworth, Gibson 2, Broughton, Boyle Goals: Holdsworth 5

St Helens (18) 34
Tries: Graham 2, Eastmond, Wellens, Gardner, Moore Goals: Eastmond 5

Scrum-half Matty Smith is on a season-long loan from St Helens

On-loan Matty Smith scored a hat-trick against his parent club to help earn Salford a shock win over St Helens.

Reds got off to an electric start with tries from Smith and Daniel Holdsworth.

St Helens replied through James Graham, Paul Wellens and Kyle Eastmond but Ashley Gibson crossed the line to give Salford a 22-18 half-time lead.

Saints fought back through Ade Gardner, Scott Moore and Graham but Smith ran in his third before Jodie Broughton and Ryan Boyle sealed the Reds' win.

It was Smith's first hat-trick of his professional career and the scrum-half led from the outset.

Shaun McRae's side made a plucky start and took a deserved lead when Holdsworth set up Smith, who hacked the ball towards the posts and threw himself on top of it to score.

Holdsworth soon went over himself before Graham replied for St Helens, taking a short pass from Kieron Cunningham to crash over for a converted score.

Salford responded just three minutes later through Gibson but Saints came roaring back again with a try scored and converted by Eastmond, who went on to kick four more.

The home side gave themselves a 10-point cushion in the 25th minute when Smith followed up his own hanging kick to score after Gardner spilled the ball, Holdsworth making it three from four with the boot.

But that lead was down to six points at the interval when Wellens stretched out to make the whitewash.

Smith completed his hat-trick in the 49th minute, only for Gardner to go over for the visitors soon afterwards.

And the topsy-turvy nature of the contest continued as Gibson slipped past Moore to again stretch Salford's lead, only for Saints to close to within two points when Eastmond converted Graham's second try.

Again Reds bounced back when winger Broughton raced home from 30 metres and they finally sealed the points when prop Boyle crossed with four minutes to play.

Salford coach Shaun McRae on Matty Smith:
"Some guys against former clubs just seem to come up with things.

"Matty Smith was terrific. He certainly put himself in the frame. He's a good player. I just think it had taken him a little while to settle here with these guys.

"This is his best game for the club since he's been here and he's certainly done his contract situation no harm."

St Helens coach Mick Potter:
"Matty Smith had a good game. It's just one of those things. He had to go elsewhere to play if he wanted an opportunity. He's taken that with both hands and is doing well.

"It was close right up until the last few minutes. There was a chance for us to snatch a victory but then Salford got their try.

"I don't think at any stage before that we were completely out of it."

Salford: Fitzpatrick, Broughton, Henry, Talau, Gibson, M Smith, Holdsworth, Boyle, Alker, Jewitt, Sibbit, Littler, Swain.
Replacements: Sidlow, J Smith, Leuluai, Ratchford.

St Helens: Wellens, Gardner, Gidley, Foster, Lomax, Pryce, Eastmond, Graham, Cunningham, Hargreaves, Hargreaves, Dixon, Clough, Puletua.
Replacements: Moore, Roby, Fozzard, Ashurst.

Attendance: 5,685.

Referee: Thierry Alibert (France).

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