REPORT | Dons 78 Salford RLFC 8

The Dons recorded a convincing victory over Salford RLFC at the Eco-Power Stadium as they made it back-to-back wins in the Betfred Championship.

Tries from Connor Robinson, Cory Aston and Luis Johnson, as well as a first half hat-trick from Edene Gebbie, put Richard Horne's men in firm and total control at the break with a 44-point advantage.

And there was no let-up in the second half as a Tom Holmes brace and further tries from Connor Jones, Aston, Gebbie and Muizz Mustapha gave the Dons a thoroughly deserved and convincing win on home soil.
Horne made three changes to the side that started in the victory at Batley Bulldogs two weeks earlier, with Cory Aston, Suaia Matagi and Loui McConnell all handed spots in the starting XIII.
The Dons got off to the perfect start and opened the scoring after three minutes. Tom Holmes made the most of an early penalty ten metres out on the left and came inside to find Robinson, who charged at the line, held off a number of Salford men and grounded. The scrum-half then converted his own try for a six-point lead.
The visitors looked for an instant response after being awarded a penalty of their own deep inside their own territory, but strong line defence from the Dons kept the away side out on the last.
The hosts were in for their second try of the day on 11 minutes. The Dons went left from centre and ran it on the last to find Glover, who spotted the gap and squeezed through to put his side ten points to the good.
Horne's men were in total control and scored again five minutes later. Briscoe did brilliantly well to release on the tackle, and Aston picked up to race clear and ground behind the sticks. Robinson added the extras.
The Dons made it 20-0 after 20 minutes. They charged down the left, and Glover gave to Gebbie, who sprinted three to score his first of the afternoon.
Six minutes later, the home side scored again. A kick over to the right wing saw Briscoe climb and jump higher than anyone else to collect and then ground in the corner. Robinson pinned the conversion from the byline for a 26-point lead.
Gebbie made it a brace on the half-hour mark as he received the ball from Glover on the left again and came inside to score by the posts. Robinson again converted.
The winger completed his hat-trick six minutes later. The Dons number 18 again took the ball on from Glover and scored right in the left-hand corner. Robinson added the extras. 38-0.
There was still time for another try before the break. Briscoe kicked through from the right wing, and Johnson glided through to score his second try in as many games. Robinson again perfectly notched with the boot to make it 44-0 at the interval.
The Dons were in again four minutes after the break as they shifted play to the left and left Holmes to go over. Robinson added the extras again.
Horne's men scored again on 47 minutes. Holmes spotted the gap and glided through the pack to secure his own brace, this time on the right. 54-0.
Salford marked the scoresheet after 54 minutes as Joe Hartley held off his man and charged at the line to go over on the left.
The hosts weren't to be knocked, though, as Connor Jones took on the ball on the left and raced away to score eight minutes later. Robinson successfully kicked through the posts again to make it 60-4.
The visitors responded immediately this time as Robinson fumbled the collection of kick off and left Oliver Garmston to pick up and score with ease.
Aston made it a brace for himself on 69 minutes as he took play on and weaved through a gap to go over and score underneath the posts. Robinson converted. 66-8.
Gebbie found his fourth with six minutes of the 80 left to play as the Dons shifted play all the way from the right to the left, where the winger went over. Robinson added the extras once again.
The last scoring incident of the match came after 79 minutes. Gebbie handed to Mustapha just over the halfway line and left the number 17 to race clear and in to the right of the posts. Robinson converted his final attempt of the game to make it 78-8.
It was the Dons' eighth-highest-scoring game of all time.
Dons: Holmes, Briscoe, Hey, Glover, Gebbie, Robinson, Aston, Matagi, Burns, Mustapha, Sutcliffe, Johnson, McConnell. Interchanges: Baldwinson, Jones, Hepi, Vulijapani.