REPORT | Dons 64 Salford RLFC 0 (AB Sundecks 1895 Cup)

The Dons convincingly beat Salford RLFC at the Eco-Power Stadium to advance in the 2026 instalment of the AB Sundecks 1895 Cup.

The cup tie was effectively over as a contest at the break, with Richard Horne's side running in six first half tries thanks to braces from Edene Gebbie and Tom Holmes, as well as Watson Boas and Luis Johnson efforts.

Further second half tries from Holmes, Sam Smeaton, Suaia Matagi and a James Glover brace truly took the game away from the visitors and secured the Dons' place in round two.
Horne made five changes to the side that started in the superb nilling of Sheffield Eagles in the South Yorkshire derby more than two weeks earlier, with Watson Boas, Gadwin Springer, Isaac Misky, Jacob Jones and Loui McConnell all handed spots inside the starting XIII.
The Dons started fast, as has been the common theme throughout recent weeks, and took the lead after just six minutes. Boas picked up in the middle of the park and danced his way through to breeze past the Salford defensive line and score behind the posts. Connor Robinson added the extras.
The visitors had the ball grounded on the hosts' line shortly after, but the referee pulled play back for a forward pass earlier in the build-up to deny the away side the chance of levelling the tie.
Horne's men weren't to be fazed by that, though, and almost furthered their lead on 15 minutes as Gebbie placed the ball down inside the Salford goal area, but the referee again pulled play back, this time to penalise a James Glover knock-on just before the scoring incident, and the lead remained at six points.
But four minutes later, the advantage was doubled. A huge pass out to the left wing found Gebbie, who took it on and raced away to score right in the corner. Robinson successfully converted. 12-0.
Gebbie made it a personal brace for himself on the half-hour mark. This time in the centre, the Dons number 18 broke clear and raced over to place down behind the sticks. Robinson kept up his 100 per cent record with the boot for the afternoon to convert again.
Holmes was the next in, two minutes later. A fantastic team move saw the Dons move forward as a unit and was rounded off by Misky handing to the full back, who ran away to see the hosts score behind the posts again, this time with ease. Robinson again added the extras. 24-0.
The home side then ended the first 40 fantastically strong.
With 39 minutes on the clock, Holmes took the ball out to the right, and it found its way to Johnson, who scrambled his way to the line to score. Robinson successfully converted again, this time impressively from the wing.
And there was still time for another Dons try before half time. Horne's men received a penalty a short distance out just seconds before the hooter, and they elected to run with it at the line. Play went out to the right; it was somehow kept in play, and then Holmes took it on to bring back inside and secure his own brace for the afternoon. Robinson converted. 36-0 at the interval.
The hosts got off to a strong start to the second half once again, and they were troubling the scoreboard operator again on 50 minutes. The Dons went all the way to the right and found Holmes, who weaved his way through the Salford defence and line to confirm a hat-trick for himself on the afternoon in DN4.
The next 20 minutes didn't have an abundance of chances on either try line, at either end of the pitch.
The Dons did, however, score again after 71 minutes. Gebbie and Glover combined on the left, and the latter finished off the move to add further daylight between the two sides with the scoreline at 46-0.
Horne's men finished with a flurry. The Dons kicked over to the left, Gebbie palmed back inside, and Glover spotted the gap to race through and make it a brace for himself. Robinson again converted. 52-0.
Smeaton was the next to score on 79 minutes. The hosts raced down the right and combined to finally reach the number 11, who held off his man to score. Robinson added the extras again. 58-0.
There was still time for one more try. Matagi picked up a matter of metres out and crashed over the line, directly underneath the posts. Robinson added the final two points of the afternoon to confirm a winning scoreline of 64-0.
The Dons will now await the second round draw of the 1895 Cup to find out their next opponents in this year's competition.
Dons: Holmes, Faraimo, Lyne, Glover, Gebbie, Boas, Robinson, Springer, Misky, Gwaze, J. Jones, Johnson, McConnell. Interchanges: Matagi, Smeaton, Baldwinson, Pauli.