It was second against seventh as the Wigan Warriors travelled down the road to the Halliwell-Jones to take on a Warrington Wolves side who are struggling to hit any early season form.
Wigan had returned from their Australia odyssey last weekend and there was some question over their ability to recover in time for tonights game but Shaun Wane named a strong side in a quest for the two points.
Warrington sprang a few changes from last weekends win over the Widnes Vikings with Mitch Brown in for Matty Russell, Tyrone Roberts in the halves, and Declan Patton relegated to the bench. It was a freezing night in Warrington as the two sides looked to warm their supporters.
The opening points were put on the board by Bryson Goodwin on two minutes after a late challenge by Tony Clubb on Tyrone Roberts which left the Wolves half-back in a crumpled heap and needing attention.
On seven minutes Tom Lineham went over wide left after the Wolves controlled the ball in the Wigan twenty and moved it through several pairs of hands before the winger received it in space. Goodwin added the conversion brilliantly from the touchline for an 8-0 lead.
Warrington were dominant and when Wigan did penetrate the Wolves half their defence was resolute. Ryan Atkins dropped the ball, with an open line begging, just before the half time hooter but the half had been totally bossed by the home side against a Warriors side who hadn’t been allowed the possession or position to play their normal game.
Forty seconds after the restart and Warrington looked to have scored a sensational break-away try but the video referee ruled that Ben Murdoch-Masila knocked on in the build up.
On forty-six a high tackle by Sam Tomkins on Stefan Ratchford gifted the Wolves a penalty under the sticks which Goodwin kicked to extend the lead to 10-0. Goodwin failed to add another penalty, a simple one, on fifty-three.
A storming Murdoch-Masila run got Warrington close on the next set before a cross-field kick from Kevin Brown was knocked backwards into the hands of Atkins who this time made no mistake and grounded. Goodwin added the extras for 16-0.
Playmaker Kevin Brown was helped off the field on the hour mark after falling heavily under the challenge. And within two minutes the Warriors went over for their first try of the game when the ball was moved wide to Liam Marshall for the winger to stretch over before being dragged into touch. Sam Tomkins was unable to add the extras from the left touchline.
Wigan had visibly moved up a gear but bombed two chances with basic handling errors when in the Wolves twenty metre zone.
On seventy-nine Tony Club got over the line from short range and Sam Tomkins added the extras but ot was too little and too late for the Warriors who lost the game by 10-14.
This was a great Warrington performance and were it not for them taking their eye off the ball late in the game, the near perfect game for the Wolves. Wigan did look tired and jaded up until that last ten minutes when their stamina told over a tiring Wolves outfit who had spent long periods in expansive attack. They probably deserved to win by a larger margin by the final score and it was testament to Wigan that the result was so close against the run of play.
There were some terrific home performances with Goodwin, Ratchford, Lineham, Murdoch-Masila and the old timer Westwood all impressing. This is exactly the foundation that the Wolves were looking for, upon which to build their season.
Wolves: Ratchford, Lineham (T), Goodwin (3G), Atkins (T), Brown M, Brown K, Roberts, Hill, Clark, Cooper, Currie, Hughes, Westwood. Subs: Crosby, Patton, Akauola, Murdoch-Masila.
Warriors: Tomkins S (G), Davies, Bateman, Gildart, Marshall (T), Williams. Powell, Clubb (T), Leuluai, Flower, Tomkins J, Farrell, O’Loughlin. Subs: Sutton, Tautai, Isa, Escare.
Referee: Ben Thaler.
Half-Time: 8-0.
Full-Time: 14-10.
Attendance: .
