Salford Red Devils 33 Huddersfield Giants 16: Coach Ian Watson left to rue slow start as Giants beaten by his old club Salford

Over the line: Chris McQueen scores a try for Huddersfield at Salford. Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWpix.com

Huddersfield Giants coach Ian Watson admitted his team were undone by their poor start as they were well beaten by his former club Salford.

Watson, who quit the Red Devils to take over the Giants in November 2020, said: “The first half was the root of all the problems.

“Salford didn’t do anything which we didn’t expect them to do and we’ve seen what they’ve done to Catalans and St Helens.

“Salford have a great home record and that had to be respected. In the first half we weren’t doing the right things - it was a hugely disappointing afternoon.

Double up: Huddersfield's Sam Hewitt scored two tries against Salford Red Devils. Picture: Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com

“One week we are great at things and the next we are inconsistent. We need to rediscover the consistency of our Challenge Cup run.

“I know the group are strong enough to respond. We could have sealed the third spot and pushed us closer to Wigan with a win today so I’m disappointed.

“We did the right things in the second half, but I can’t take any positives from that. Salford did what they needed to do. We just weren’t good enough in the first half.”

Asked if his old club Salford had the potential to make the play-offs, Watson said: “Playing at home, Salford could do some damage in the play-offs. “

Salford scored five tries in the opening period through Ken Sio, Joe Burgess, Kallum Watkins, Ryan Brierley and Tim Lafai to build a 26-6 half-time lead.

However, the sin-binning of Salford half-back Brodie Croft gave Huddersfield hope and they scored two tries at the start of the second half through Sam Hewitt to close the gap to 10 points.

Salford, though, finished strongly with a penalty and drop goal from Marc Sneyd as well as a last-minute try from Harvey Livett to close out victory.

Rowley said: “I thought our start was really important. Huddersfield are a very good side, but we wanted to start on our best foot. We got some points on the board then had a sin-bin which was really difficult to manage in this heat.

“It challenges the character of the players, but they managed it.”

Salford: Brierley, Sio, Cross, Lafai, Burgess, Croft, Sneyd, Dupree, Ackers, Wright, Taylor, Watkins, Gerrard. Subss: Akauola, Livett, Atkin, Ormondroyd.

Huddersfield: Lolohea, L. Senior, Cudjoe, King, I. Senior, Fages, Russell, Trout, O’Brien, Hill, Hewitt, McQueen, Yates. Subs: Greenwood, Levi, Wilson, Ashworth.

Referee: Liam Moore (RFL)