Salford City Reds will meet Doncaster in the Northern Rail Cup final at Blackpool’s Bloomfield Road thanks to their 36-20 win over Celtic Crusaders.

John Wilshere was a key part of Salford’s win with five goals and two tries coming at a crucial period before half time.

The Reds, who only managed a two-point home win over the Crusaders in Co-operative National League One, were pushed all the way by the Welsh side.

Salford had the best of the early exchanges, going close through Paul White before White eventually opened the scoring, Wilshere converting.

The home side levelled quickly through Neil Budworth, Mark Lennon adding the goal, before taking a 10-6 lead when Tony Duggan fed Mark Dalle Cort.

But the Reds took control of the game with two tries and two goals from Wilshere which gave the visiting side a 18-10 lead at the half-time interval.

The Crusaders went close a number of times after the restart but it was Salford who got over the line next through Richard Myler, Wilshere converting.

The try stung the home side into action, Duggan touching down before Josh Hannay followed suit, Lennon converting the former, to reduce Salford’s lead to two.

But the Reds finished the stronger, White grabbing a second try, Wilshere converting, before Myler sealed the win, White adding the final goal.