Salford City Reds 18 Saints 56 ANOTHER sparkling Saints show was overshadowed by a shocking last minute high tackle which left substitute Micky Higham reeling with a broken cheekbone. Gary Broadbent's challenge on the young hooker may have looked an instinctive reaction - but it was still very nasty, with the force lifting Higham off the ground and leaving him in a crumpled heap on the deck.

The referee put it on report, whilst a frustrated Vila Matautia went looking to dispense some summary justice - even after the final hooter. Others waited to study the video evidence to confirm their initial suspicions before commenting - a real video nasty.

Prior to that it had been another stroll in the sun with Saints rattling in 10 tries - hitting 218 points for their last four games.

The first half was almost a carbon copy of the previous week's win at Halifax, with Saints keeping the ball alive at every opportunity to stretch and then pierce the home defence.

When the fancy, free-flowing stuff failed to make headway there was always the direct route, with Keiron Cunningham splattering away defenders in those characteristic rhino charges to the line. Cunningham started as early as the second minute when he stormed through two Reds' tacklers to open Saints' account. He was a constant thorn - and Salford were relieved when Ian Millward, mindful of Tuesday's international date took him off in the second half.

Salford, keen to impress new boss Steve McCormack, had no answer to Saints' variety - but better teams than the Reds will try and fail to stop the runaway men in black.

In these days of consulting sports scientists you would have thought clubs would come up with a better colour to play in than heat absorbing black, but it was the Reds who wilted as Saints raised the tempo.

Afterwards McCormack commented: "Saints are a quality side and they would have done this against better sides than Salford. Some of the stuff they played was fantastic."

He was not wrong - the ball was effortlessly tossed around with Saints' second try summing up their cavalier approach with seven players handling before Sean Hoppe crossed.

Aussie second row Peter Shiels, who played a key role in the build up to that try, had one of his best games for the club. He was like the Octopus Man, constantly using his height and long levered arms to get the ball out of the tackle and keep play moving.

Once they got their noses in front, it was all Saints with usual suspects Paul Sculthorpe and Tommy Martyn again making them tick.

Saints' coach was again delighted by the standards his players were hitting. "Just like the Harlem Globetrotters used to - we provide great entertainment. In the last four weeks our attacking game has gone up another level," Millward said.

Martyn showed the odd touch of genius - the blind pass he gave for Wayne McDonald's try was typical. Sculthorpe simply adds more strings to his bow as the weeks go by - his chip kick from the scrum sent Anthony Sullivan racing 65 metres before being stopped just short, but he was there up with play to receive the ball from the next play the ball to cross the line.

Hat-trick hero Paul Wellens edged Sculthorpe in the man of the match stakes with another outstanding all-round display.

Like Sculthorpe, the versatile Wellens has blossomed in the adversity created by Sean Long's absence. Rotating between full back and scrum half, Wellens' support play was tremendous, showing a real nose for the try line.

He started and finished the move to complete his hat-trick and conclude the scoring, allowing himself a cheeky wave at Saints' large vocal following behind the posts.

Also showing his versatility was forward John Stankevitch, who celebrated his new contract with another powerful display - spending the second half at centre following the substitution of the injured Sullivan.

Given Saints backs are thin on the ground, versatility will be a watch-word going into the final push. How they lined up Salford City Reds: Broadbent; Pinkney, Tassell, Littler, Arnold; Holroyd; Goulding; Driscoll, Alker, Highton, Hancock, Coley, Wainwright. Subs: Maloney, Blakeley, Nicol, Harmon.

Saints: Wellens; Hall, Iro, Hoppe, Sullivan; Sculthorpe, Martyn; Nickle, Cunningham, Fairleigh, Stankevitch, Shiels, Joynt. Subs: Matautia, McDonald, Higham, Jonkers.

Referee: Karl Kirkpatrick. Clockwatch 2 minutes: Keiron Cunningham blasts his way over for a try, Paul Sculthorpe converts 6-0.

8: Gary Broadbent collects Graham Holroyd's bobbling chip to the line. Holroyd adds the extras 6-6.

11: Sean Hoppe scores out wide, conversion missed 10-6.

14: Sculthorpe's break finds John Stankevitch in support, who sends Paul Wellens under the posts. Sculthorpe converts 16-6.

19: Tommy Martyn goes in from a Peter Shiels pass, converted by Sculthorpe 22-6.

22: Cunningham punches a big hole out wide, feeding the supporting Wellens who sails under the posts. Sculthorpe tags on the goal 28-6.

31: Hoppe goes in for an unconverted try 32-6.

39: Sculthorpe try and conversion 38-6.

51: Danny Arnold intercepts to go 80 metres for a try, Holroyd converts 38-12.

54: Shiels try, Sculthorpe goal 44-12.

62: Salford loose forward Mike Wainwright goes in unopposed from the scrum, Holroyd goals 44-18.

65: Wayne McDonald stretches over for a close range try, Sculthorpe converts 50-18.

71: Great interchange between Wellens and Sculthorpe sees the former go in for his hat-trick. Sculthorpe converts 56-18.

79: Broadbent's high tackle on Mick Higham put on report.