Hardly a "Boogie Night" but no shortage of "Mind Blowing Decisions" from referee Kirk Kirkpatrick was the verdict as seventies chart-toppers Heatwave came to town.

The Bulls had their moments, mainly in the shape of hat-trick hero Lee Gilmour, but frustration was the order of the night as patched-up Salford prevented the avalanche many were predicting.

And the man in the middle didn't help the overall spectacle either with some bewildering interventions.

Fortunately his performance was never likely to effect the outcome of a game which was decided the moment the team-sheets came off the printer.

Lacking half-a-dozen or more first choice players, the Reds were on a damage limitation exercise from the off and a pretty good job they made of it too despite conceding three tries in the opening quarter-hour.

It looked like Halifax all over again for the Bulls as Lee Radford, Mick Withers and Leon Pryce all profited from some confident early handling.

Withers produced the best score by handling twice in a move which also involved Daniel Gartner and Scott Naylor after Radford had profited from the first of several significant contributions from livewire Gilmour.

It was only the back-rowers second try for the club - the other coming against the Reds in last season's 96-16 massacre at Odsal - and he'll be disappointed they don't meet Salford again this term.

Pryce spotted his chance well to strike from close range and the fans sat back expecting another points feast.

But two chances went begging as Shane Rigon failed to find Withers and Gilmour respectively with an open field ahead of them and generally the foot came visibly off the accelerator.

The Reds decided there was no way they were going to be humiliated again and, with Saints lying in wait next week, the Bulls just couldn't summon up the intensity needed to even come close to it.

Martin Offiah had described last season's defeat as one of the lowest points of his career and it showed as he took every opportunity to get his hands on the ball.

It didn't always pay off by any means but his enthusiasm epitomised the Reds' effort. He set up both their tries for Stuart Littler and Danny Arnold but in between the Bulls went hot and cold in equal measures with Gilmour never far from the action.

He was on hand just before the break to finish off some excellent ap-proach work by Rigon and James Lowes.

Then, after the lively Rigon had showed he's no slouch to finish off a stunning burst from Tevita Vaikona, the former Wigan star grabbed his second by stretching out in the tackle following Henry Paul's pass.

But it was his third try which really underlined Gilmour's growing confidence as he pinned back his ears and went for the corner from near halfway for the sort of try which became his trademark when he burst on to the scene in 1998.

Vaikona notched the Bulls eighth try in the final minute to give the score a somewhat flattering look but it's a measure of how well they have played recently that the fans probably went home slightly disappointed.

There was a cruise control ele-ment to the display with Henry Paul appearing to hardly break sweat in attack. But after a punishing recent schedule it wasn't exactly surprising either with more testing times ahead.

If there was a criticism though it was that Bulls slightly overdid the forward charges after so much early success keeping the ball moving.

The Reds' defence did an excellent job in containing the likes of Paul Anderson and Joe Vagana but by then the damage had already been done with that dazzling opening burst.

Now the attentions turns to Knowsley Road next Saturday and you can bet on a more even contest and the fact that Mr Kirkpatrick might have to settle for watching it on television.