BURNLEY and Pendle Rugby League team will be looking to open their winning account when they travel to Mancunians RL after losing their first game of the new season.

The Black and Reds kicked off with a disappointing home defeat to a physical Salford Roosters side at The Prairie .

The tone for the day was set very early the visitors’ pack getting onto the front foot and making big yards against the home defenders.

And following a series of quick play, the balls saw Salford crash over within the first two minutes of the game.

The try was converted and the Roosters were 6-0 up, Burnley and Pendle were looking rusty and failed to progress against some hard-hitting defence from Salford.

A flowing move from the visitors saw the ball passed wide to their winger. Another score looked certain, only for a fine try saving tackle from second rower, Robert Metcalf, bundling the winger into touch at the corner flag.

But the second try was not long in coming. Another superb tackle from the right winger, Celyn Lennard, prevented a try by the attacking centre. But the lively Roosters scrum half spotted the space on the right wing to put the winger in for a second score to make it 10-0.

The try seemed to galvanise the home side.

On the back of some direct running from dummy half by hooker, Chris Wall, the home side now put some pressure on the visitors in their own half.

And on the last tackle, a deft kick by Will Holden saw the ball ricochet back into his hands for a welcome try which was converted by Shaye McCullough to make tit 10-6.

The Burnley and Pendle team were now going toe-to- toe with the big Salford pack, with some solid defensive performances from Sam Walker, Robert Metcalfand on Alex Woodcock on his debut for the club.

As the half wore on though the home side were increasingly on the back foot. And two late tries in the half saw Salford Roosters turn around with a 16-point lead.

But if the visitors thought that the game was won, they were mistaken.

Burnley and Pendle started the second half strongly with some strong running out wide by Sam Walker while Woodcock continued to impress and Sam Hamer made himself available with some excellent running lines.

A superb break by Walker split the defence and it looked like he was going to go almost the full length of the field to score but with Roosters covering defence closing in, he passed to McCullough to score under the posts.

The try was converted and the Roosters lead was down to 22-12.

There was little between the sides for the next 20 minutes. The Black and Reds defended their line superbly while the Salford side’s rearguard action was equally as impressive.

Something had to give and unfortunately, as the game came to a close, it was the physicality of the opposition that finally told and, with home legs tiring, the Roosters extended their lead with two late tries to run out the eventual 34-12 winners,