Salford coach Andy Gregory knew nothing but success as a dynamic scrum-half with Widnes, Warrington and Wigan.

But he been wearing the look of the condemned man for months at the Willows as he struggles to put together a side to compete in Super League.

After finishing next to bottom last season Gregory had a massive clear-out during the close season and the signs looked pretty encouraging when they knocked Challenge Cup holders Sheffield Eagles out of this year's competition in their first full outing of the campaign.

They followed it up with another success in the fifth round at Huddersfield but it has been downhill ever since a disappointing quarter-final exit at Castleford Tigers.

Eight straight defeats have brought increasing pressure on Gregory but the competitive nature which made him such a success as a player is holding him in good stead as he clings to office.

"I will not be resigning," he insists. "I know things have not gone well but no-one is more determined than me to see things turned round.

"I still feel I have assembled a pretty useful squad as we showed in the cup ties and I feel sure that first win would make all the difference to confidence which is obviously suffering at the moment.

"We will keep working away and hopefully our luck will change too because things have not been going for us as the early stages against Wigan showed."

Gregory will look to Aussie back-rower Darren Brown to provide more inspiration going forward in his second match back after suffering a broken hand against the Eagles.

Stand-off Steve Blakeley is another key figure while former Balmain second-rower Hudson Smith is the dangerman upfront with his surging runs.

But come Sunday night its possible the pressure on Gregory may finally prove too much.

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