Giants defeat Salford, Wigan end St Helens` run

London: Francis Meli scored a hat-trick for Salford but the former Auckland Warrior couldn`t prevent the Red Devils falling to a 42-22 home defeat to Huddersfield Giants on Friday.

Aaron Murphy also notched up a hat-trick for the Giants, while Shaun Lunt, Danny Brough, Jermaine McGillvary and Chris Bailey also helped themselves to tries for Huddersfield in a comprehensive performance. Two tries apiece from Richard Owen, Daryl Clark and Scott Wheeldon kept Castleford in third place with a 43-20 win away at Wakefield. Owen scored two of Castleford`s five first-half tries as the Tigers raced into a 26-12 lead at the break. The Wildcats fought back to within six points but Clark and Wheeldon completed their doubles to seal victory for the visitors - who also had former Sydney and Canberra wing Justin Carney among the scorers. Elsewhere on Friday, the Monaghan brothers grabbed a try each for Warrington Wolves in their 44-6 rout over sorry Widnes - Joel and Michael both going over in the first half at the Halliwell Jones Stadium. Meanwhile, fellow Australian Dan Sarginson helped Wigan Warriors end St Helens` 100 per cent start to Super League as he notched one of their five tries at Langtree Park. The Warriors went ahead through captain Sean O`Loughlin but the Saints were level when Tommy Makinson crossed to become the first player to score ten league tries this season. Excellent running from Blake Green then set up Sarginson in the corner, before Liam Farrell grabbed the first of his two tries for the Warriors. Makinson and centre Jordan Turner reduced the gap for the hosts, but Wigan`s Farrell and teenage wing Joe Burgess ensured there would be no comeback from the league leaders. Leeds are now just a point behind the Saints after a Rob Burrow-inspired 46-6 victory over Bradford Bulls on Thursday. Burrow, making his 400th Rhinos appearance, scored a try late on to seal Leeds` biggest winning margin ever at Odsal. Kevin Sinfield, Joel Moon, Danny McGuire and Ryan Hall all scored inside the opening 14 minutes to put the visitors in control with Liam Sutcliffe, Kallum Watkins and Burrow heaping more misery on Bradford whose losing run in the league stretched to six games. Over at Craven Park it was Hull KR who claimed the bragging rights against Hull FC after Craig Hall`s last-minute drop goal snatched a dramatic 21-20 triumph. Rovers were 20-10 ahead after Michael Weyman, previously of St George, Kevin Larroyer and Graeme Horne scored. Jordan Rankin crashed over to open the scoring for Hull FC on 12 minutes, while Danny Houghton and New Zealand-born Fetuli Talanoa also crossed to eventually bring the scores level at 20-20 - but it was Hall who had the final say. Elsewhere on Thursday, Zeb Taia was on the scoresheet as Catalan Dragons beat struggling London Broncos 28-22 - their fourth win in five games in all competitions. Michael Oldfield, William Barthau, Eloi Pelissier and Vincent Duport also crossed the whitewash for the French outfit while the Broncos` New Zealander Nesiasi Mataitonga and former Melbourne Storm wing Denny Solomona made it a nervy finish.