Unhappy Paul Rowley pushes back against Sky pundits as they question “ugly win”

Salford Red Devils edged a closely fought win against Castleford Tigers last night in a game that felt a long way from being a classic match.

Salford boss Paul Rowley was not impressed speaking on Sky Sports after the game.

“It looked like a game of touch and pass tonight. If you are looking for positives, you would probably say the fact that we kept them to six points would be it.

“The fact that the second try took the game away from them probably tells you everything you need to know.

“It was probably a game for the purists tonight, there was nothing spectacular about it.”

However, as questions were asked about his side’s performances at home, with the Red Devils only winning twice in unconvincing fashion at the AJ Bell, as well as about an “ugly win” Rowley told the Sky pundits that there was no need to get carried away.

“I think we are all getting carried away, we have a small squad and small budget and we have beaten a really good team in Castleford, regardless of where they are sat on the table.”

Brian Carney responded with: “Hold on, let’s be fair, they are desperate, but Castleford at the moment are not a good side.”

Rowley’s reaction was: “No but they are a good rugby side in terms of the players, they have good players.”

He also was left unimpressed by the short turnaround going into the game after their win over Leigh on Saturday:

“The five day turn around didn’t help. We had to dig deep. The Leigh Leopards game took a lot out of us.

“People say it is good we don’t play twice over Easter anymore, well we’ve had an Easter period. I guess that is the defence of my boys.”

Describing it as “an Easter period” is interesting given that Easter was usually a spell of two games from Thursday or Friday to Monday so a short period that Saturday to Thursday.

Asked if it was an ugly win, he further emphasised the problems of the short turn around and Brodie Croft’s illness:

“It is a bit of an old cliche but it is appropriate tonight, it was an ugly win. There are a few excuses, short turn around, star man being quite poorly all week, but they are excuses and I would rather focus on the facts such as the desire to defend which wasn’t good enough.”

He was also left unimpressed by his side’s kicking: “We just weren’t good enough in that area tonight. You wouldn’t want to hear the message we gave them.”