After half an hour, with a white hot Reds side leading 24-0 and Halifax struggling to complete a set of tackles let alone score a try, coach Matt Calland would have grabbed a bonus point with both hands.

But after 60 minutes, when 20 year old backrower Mark Flanagan romped in on the left after a slick pass from Ben Black and Graham Holroyd slotted over his fourth conversion to tie the scoreboard up at 24-24, Fax's rookie coach was rightly eyeing a sensational win.

Ultimately, a Stefan Ratchford try four minutes later, after an instinctive offload from full back Karl Fitzpatrick, regained the lead for the expensively assembled full timers.

Fax had their chances after that, notably when Black skipped into open space but could not find Flanagan with the scoring pass, but just failed to conjure the score which would have given them the draw they so richly deserved.

They weren't helped by the dismissal of captain Sean Penkywicz inside the last 10 minutes for telling referee Robert Hicks exactly what he thought of his performance, and the disappointment was tangible as Calland's players trudged from the dressing rooms afterwards.

In the cold light of day though, this pulsating contest - every inch a top of the table battle - yielded far more positives than negatives for the visitors.

A glut of fine individual performances, from the likes of Black, Flanagan, Miles Greenwood and Paul Smith among others, and some truly thrilling tries went a long way towards off setting the memories of a dreadful opening half hour when mistake after mistake undermined the visitors' cause.

Before last night, Fax hoped they could beat Salford. Now, with a little more care and attention, they must surely know they can.

The visitors had started solidly, James Haley being tackled into touch just short of the line in the opening minute, but it was Salford who finally broke the deadlock 13 minutes in, a brace of penalties ferrying them downfield and Jon Goddard clearing Malcolm Alker's grubber kick under his own posts at full stretch.

Having withstood one set though, Fax could not withstand the second, Adam Sidlow's high quality offload being gobbled up by Fitzpatrick, who reached out over the line.

Jon Wilshere added the extras, and promptly created a second score, easing past Lee Greenwood on the right hand touchline before turning the ball back inside for wingman Ade Gardner to apply the finish.

Things went from bad to worse a minute later, the usually rock solid Haley losing Robbie Paul's kick through and the rebound sitting up beautifully for Salford, Paul going under the posts for their third try in six minutes.

Wilshere's boot left Fax trailing 18-0, although Haley promptly redeemed himself with a stunning take from Holroyd's short kick off as the visitors tried desperately to get themselves back in the game.

The errors, partially the result of increasing desperation, partially forced by some thunderous defence, mounted up though and with fatigue building it was no real surprise when centre Stuart Littler twisted over by the posts, Wilshere converting.
At 24-0 after 27 minutes, the scoreline was approaching nightmare proportions, but rather than fold, Fax chose to fight.
Black sent Jon Goddard close on the left on the half hour, before Shad Royston lost the ball after being sent through by Smith.
It was no false dawn though, Penkywicz's crossfield scamper and Holroyd's pass giving Haley the chance to finish in the right hand corner, the stand off converting for 24-6 at the break.
Whatever Calland said in the dressing room had the desired effect though: Fax were just about untouchable after the interval.
Royston regained possession from Holroyd's short restart, and the loose forward was only denied by some desperate defence a few seconds later.
And when Smith surged clear on half way a couple of minutes later, it was Royston who was on hand to sprint 40 metres for his 21st try of the season.
Holroyd goaled for 24-12 and suddenly there was a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel.
Fax then notched the try of the night, Black regathering his own last tackle grubber kick on half way, finding Flanagan in support and the youngster sending out a perfect pass to the supporting Jon Goddard.
Holroyd's goal took Fax to within six, and when Black picked out Flanagan for Fax's fourth score, Holroyd kept his cool to set up a last quarter stalemate.
At that point, Fax looked odds on to go on and win, but Fitzpatrick's pass teed up Ratchford for a try that at least represented a fitting climax to a thrilling contest.