Relegation-threatened Salford grabbed a survival lifeline with a thrilling victory that brought Huddersfield's nine-match winning run to a shuddering halt.

The rock-bottom Reds defied their position in the engage Super League table with a stunning performance to complete the double over the Giants.

And they did it in style with two spectacular long-range tries from David Hodgson and Gray Viane, although they were forced to hang on for victory after the Giants scored their second try seven minutes from the end.

The watching Shaun McRae will have been greatly encouraged by the passion and commitment shown by the Reds, who are now just two points behind Wakefield.

The Reds have made McRae their number one choice to succeed the sacked Karl Harrison and he was in the stand 24 hours after arriving from Australia to take up a short-term contract with Sky Sports.

With just one win in their last seven matches and without seven regulars through injury, Salford's display came out of the blue.

Huddersfield were forced to switch Stephen Wild from the pack to cover the absence of centre Jamahl Lolesi and he was prominent in the early stages, turning Salford winger John Wilshere on to his back to save what looked certain to be a try after only two minutes.

Giants centre Chris Nero was also held up on his back at the other end and he had a try disallowed for a forward pass as Huddersfield put the Reds defence under tremendous pressure.

Scrum-half Brad Drew set up a tryscoring chance for hooker Ryan Hudson with a delightful break and also came up with a trademark 40-20 kick to maintain the visitors' pressure.

Against the best defence in Super League, Salford ought to have made more of a break from second rower Andrew Brocklehurst, who undid his good work with a forward pass to full-back David Hodgson, while centre Kevin McGuinness also pierced the Giants defence without reward.

But the Reds pressure finally paid off six minutes before half-time when stand-off Luke Dorn pulled the Huddersfield defence out of position with a scything run for McGuinness to slot through for the only try of the half.

Huddersfield were level within two minutes of the restart when Wild took an inside pass from the ever-dangerous Drew and charged over for his eighth try in his last seven matches.

Chris Thorman, Super League's leading scorer, was wide with the conversion attempt but made amends 10 minutes later with a penalty awarded for a high tackle by Stuart Littler on a jinking Kevin Brown.

That put the Giants in front for the first time but the Reds struck back with a sensational length-of-the-field try that delighted the 3,379 crowd.

Wilshere diffused a Huddersfield attack with a clean take of Drew's kick near his own line and swiftly turned defence into attack, jinking his way to the 30-metre line and offloading from the tackle for David Hodgson to sprint 70 metres to the line.

Wilshere's goal made it 10-6 and things got even better for the home side when they carved out another wonderful try from deep inside their own half.

Littler made the initial break and fellow centre McGuinness handled twice in a flowing move before right winger Gray Viane finished decisively at the corner.

When Nero sent winger Paul Reilly over at the corner for the Giants' second try, which Thorman goaled from the touchline, it set up a nervous finale but the battling Reds clung on for a precious victory.