It was third against fourth in round six as the Wigan Warriors took on the Salford Red Devils in the game of the round at the JJB Stadium.

A win for either side would secure third spot at the end of the weekend and keep them in touch with the two sides who have recorded five wins from five so far in 2023, Warrington Wolves and the Catalans Dragons.

Wigan were the favourites to make home advantage pay, Paul Rowley´s side getting a twelve point start on the handicap coupon against Matt Peet´s charges.

Early consecutive penalties in Wigan´s favour resulted in the opening points as Harry Smith kicked a penalty goal from ten metres out and in front of the sticks.

A Marc Sneyd chip over the top of thirteen caused confusion in the Wigan defence and while the Red Devils couldn´t ground the loose ball they did force a goal line drop out. After a set restart an imaginative passage of play, a grubber from a slipping Ryan Brierley was collected after one bounce by Ken Sio who came in off his wing and dove over the line. Sneyd added the touchline conversion for a 6-2 lead.

After a catalogue of errors in the opening fifteen minutes from Salford, they´d found their mojo and were taking the game to the Warriors.

On twenty-seven the genius of Bevan French was on show, throwing three dummies and stepping through the Salford defence to run in under the sticks and give Smith a simple conversion to edge the Warriors into a two-point lead.

With five minutes to the interval Sneyd kicked a penalty goal after the Warriors were caught offside. Sneyd looked to be the hero as he attempted a drop goal in the dying seconds of the half but he pushed his kick wide of the uprights and the sides jogged into the sheds all square.

All the early pressure in the second half was on the Red Devils line but with a try from nowhere Brodie Croft long looping pass found Ken Sio on the wing to slide over and regain the lead for Salford. Sneyd added the touchline conversion for 14-8.

A late hit on the kicker gave Sneyd the opportunity to extend the lead to eight points with fifty-four minutes elapsed.

With twelve minutes remaining French got his second, again dropping the shoulder to flummox the Salford defence before diving for the line. Smith added the conversion, the Salford lead was back to just two points and the grandstand finish was now in play.

On seventy-three Wigan were back in front as Toby King took a miss-out pass in an acre of space to go over in the right-hand corner and ground. Smith added the conversion for 20-16, Salford now had just over five minutes to take the spoils.

Another terrific, and close, Friday night game from the top of Super League as this 2023 season just keeps the excitement coming. Salford were the best side for long periods but Wigan managed to hold on and not let them extend their lead to one which was insurmountable, striking through the genius of French to snatch the victory from the jaws of defeat and secure third spot in the table. The Red Devils will count themselves unlucky to be going home without some kind of reward for an excellent nights efforts.

Wigan Warriors: Field, French (2T), King, Wardle, Marshall, Cust, Smith (4G), Singleton, Powell, Byrne, Pearce-Paul, Farrell, Smithies. Subs: Havard, Ellis, Cooper, O´Neill. 18th Man: Isa.

Salford Red Devils: Brierley, Sio (2T), Cross, Lafai, Burgess, Croft, Sneyd (3G), Dupree, Bourouh, Sidlow, Watkins, Stone, Addy.  Subs: Ormondroyd, Vuniyayawa, Atkin, Wright. 18th Man: Costello.

Half-Time: 8-8.

Full-Time: 20-16.

Score Progression: 2-0, 2-4, 2-6, 6-6, 8-6, 8-8 : HT : 8-12, 8-14, 8-16, 12-16, 14-16, 18-16, 20-16 : FT.

Lead Exchanges: Wigan – Salford – Square - Wigan – Square – Salford - Wigan.

Referee: Chris Kendall.