Stefan Ratchford scored two tries as struggling Salford stunned Super League leaders St Helens, for whom Sean Long suffered a suspected broken jaw.

Ratchford touched down twice in the first 10 minutes and John Wilshere converted both to put the Reds 12-0 up. Ratchford then orchestrated a third score in the 16th minute, with centre Darrell Goulding crossing in the left corner to give us the score of 16-0 at the break.

Saints started the fight back as Andrew Dixon and Francis Meli scored after the break, but Mark Henry also crossed for the Reds taking the game away from the visitors. The result ended Saints’ record-breaking run of 16 straight away wins on a night when nothing went right for Mick Potter’s side. They badly missed injured trio Keiron Cunningham, Leon Pryce and Jon Wilkin and their injury woes were compounded when Long was replaced in the second half after suffering a suspected broken jaw. So the final score was:

Salford 20-10 St Helens

Scorers

Salford (16) 20
Tries: Ratchford, Goulding, Henry Goals: Wilshere 2

St Helens (0) 10
Tries: Dixon, Meli Goals: Eastmond

Teams

Salford: Wilshere, Henry, Littler, Goulding, McGilvray, Smith, Ratchford, Cashmere, Alker, Stapleton, Adamson, Sidlow, Swain.

St Helens: Wellens, Gardner, Flannery, Dean, Meli, Eastmond, Long, Graham, Roby, Hargreaves, Ashurst, Puletua, Gilmour.