Relegation almost confirmed

Having been sat in the stands as opposed to behind the sticks I had a slightly different angle to many yesterday.

I honestly can't blame James Child for that result, only ourselves.

Yes the penalty count in the first half was one sided but I can only really gripe about 2 decisions in the first half not given to us, both involving that thug who calls himself a rugby player, Rangi Chase. The first was when he was laying on in a tackle near the half way line and was forcibly shoving his elbows into the face of our guy laid on his back.

The second was when he was running at Lee Smith and clearly punched him in the face. (I found it highly amusing when Smith did the same thing to him in the second half which led Chase to cry like a baby to Mr Child).

In the first half Salford played a well structured game and we didn't rise to the challenge. I think that is the best I remember seeing Salford play.

Second half we raised our game and had good pressure for 20+ minutes. We just didn't have the composure to close out the game.

The earlier comment about our forwards when we were playing well and not playing well is telling. I thought Mullaley and Walker really stood out. Walker is a really determined soul and I like his attitude.

I also think we really screwed up with our kicking game. We kept kicking the ball dead behind their goal line. Kicking the ball such a long way and trying to keep it in play by the goal line is a difficult skill. Compared that with Salford who effectively kicked the ball out for a scrum most times. I think those tactics made a significant difference.

Whilst I appreciate his go forward is good I've realised over the season that errors by Scruton are really costing us (sorry to point out one individual but yesterday reminded me of so many things I've seen this year). He misses a tackle in the middle of the field from which the opposition break and score. To be honest they look like routine tackles as well which he is missing. (I know other players miss tackles too, I just can't explain it but his misses seem to be penalised as much as misses by our wingers.)

He also knocks on a few times. His knock on with about 4 minutes to go yesterday effectively killed any chance of us getting back into it. I know he was as devastated as we were at that happening. Yet should a prop be acting as dummy half when we have 4 minutes to go and chasing a game?

I'd rest Scruton for next week and rotate some of the forwards. Our subs were effective yesterday.

I saw Salford as a key match to win which could give us a little comfort as I see Leigh away as a game we might lose.

Now I feel the heat is on. Bradford was always a must win, now even more so. Blow it next week then with 2 SL teams and Leigh away to come I can't see us turning it around. Sorry to be pessimistic but we now have to win 5 from 6 to assure our place in SL next year. Otherwise it is a pot luck million pound game or worse.

It's going to be tough.