Salford produced a sparkling first-half performance to beat Bradford 3-0 thanks to two goals from Luke Burgess on his first League start.

The 21-year-old was on hand to open the scoring just eight minutes in when Bradford goalkeeper Richard O’Donnell kept out a fierce Bruno Andrade drive and Burgess reacted swiftly to tap home.

Bradford found themselves further behind to a terrific Salford team goal midway through the first half. The dangerous Ash Hunter clipped a ball to the back post and defender Tom Clarke headed back across goal for poacher Ian Henderson to slot in from close range.

Bradford should have pulled one back when Austin Samuels somehow struck the post from six yards and Salford immediately broke clear down the other end only for Henderson’s dinked finish to float wide.

Burgess produced a moment of brilliance to settle the contest before the break, with a slaloming run and fierce finish that the watching Ryan Giggs would have been proud of.

Salford came closest to adding another after half-time, Hunter twice denied and Henderson seeing a header cleared off the line.