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Round 25: Warrington 28-40 Wildcats
engage Super League XIV- Round 25
Warrington Wolves 28-40 Wakefield Wildcats
Halliwell Jones Stadium
Attendance: 8,681
The Wildcats secured their first play-off appearance since 2004 and only the second in the club’s history with a comprehensive win over Challenge Cup Finalists Warrington.
Luke George continued his return from injury with another two tries, with Sam Obst also claiming a brace.
Sean Gleeson and Dale Ferguson scored further first half tries whilst there was a first ever Super League try on his full debut for Academy graduate Dale Morton.
Tries for Kevin Penny, Gareth Carvell, Chris Riley, Michael Monaghan and Paul Johnson couldn’t send the Wolves to Wembley on the back of a win as they were well beaten by a complete performance from Wakefield.
Wakefield welcomed back Steve Snitch to the replacements bench and Ferguson to the starting line up at loose forward in place of the ill Jason Demetriou.
Scott Grix switched from wing to stand-off and Obst started at scrum-half with Morton coming in on the right wing.
The Wildcats came out knowing a win could secure a play-off spot and on three minutes they were a step closer to that when Ferguson took Drew’s pass to glide through a gaping hole in the Warrington defence from ten metres out.
If that try was brilliantly simple then the Warrington response was simply brilliant. Lee Briers claimed his own chip over the defence and had the composure and awareness to pass right to Chris Bridge who fed Penny and the young winger scored.
On seven minutes the visitors were over the whitewash again. Obst picked up from dummy-half, ducked under one tackle and scampered 40 metres to score a fine solo try which Drew converted from in front.
Briers was showing impressive form, combining with Monaghan to open up the Wildcats defence. The ball found its way back into his hands and the Welshman’s grubber to the corner was picked up by Penny who fell just short of the line.
The creative stand-off was at the heart of the Wolves equalising score, first making the break in centre field and then sending a flat kick from right to left which Paul Johnson snapped up in mid air to touchdown.
Wakefield enjoyed a spell of domination after this quarter point mark of the match and were putting the home defence under considerable pressure. After forcing a repeat set Wakefield were suddenly chasing back towards their own line as Riley intercepted a pass and charged 80 metres to give the Wolves the lead.
But Wakefield got the advantage their first half showing deserved when the ever busy Drew spotted the gap and raced clear, handing onto the impressive Grix who waited for Gleeson in support and the Irish international went over the line.
It took just three minutes of the second half for the Wildcats to extend the lead with George’s second of the game. Richard Moore’s offloads had created havoc since his introduction as a replacement and he set Leo-Latu dashing clear. He was brought down fifteen metres short and Wakefield worked the ball left. Drew’s high pass forced George to check, but the winger sidestepped inside and got over for his fourth score in two outings since returning from injury.
The Wildcats had a stranglehold on the game at this stage and were far better than the team set for Wembley next week. But in Briers Warrington have a player capable of creating tries, and he seemed to have done the trick again for Penny but the hapless wingers night was summed up when his score ruled out for offside.
This brought about a rare spell of good field position for the hosts but Wakefield’s tenacity in defence saw them hold out even a rampaging Adrian Morley.
Kear’s side extended their lead to ten points when Drew knocked over a 30 metre penalty on 58 minutes.
Five minutes later and Trinity’s travelling fans were celebrating again after their team kept the ball alive superbly and showed excellent support for the man with the ball, with Grix making the final pass for Obst to claim his second score of the night.
Warrington were handed a lifeline almost immediately. The restart didn’t go ten metres but was claimed by Gleeson and Wire were given the penalty on half-way.
After Briers drilled them deep into Wakefield territory the men in white went through the tackles and Monaghan bundled his way over from close range.
Any chances of a fight back were ended nine minutes from time with Morton’s score. He picked up Drew’s grubber and dropped over the line for a memorable moment for the 18-year old.
Two minutes from time Drew added a forty metre penalty to add a deserved gloss to the win which was only slightly tarnished by Carvell’s last gasp score.
Teams
Wildcats: Blaymire, Morton, Gleeson, Atkins, George, Grix, Obst, Korkidas, Drew, Stosic, Wilkes, Henderson. Ferguson. Replacements: Snitch, Leo-Latu, Moore, Bibb.
Scorers: Tries: Ferguson, Obst (2), George (2), Gleeson, Morton
Goals: Drew (6)
Wolves: Mathers, Riley, Bridge, Paul Johnson, Penny, Briers, Clarke, Morley, Monaghan, Carvell, Louis Anderson, Vinnie Anderson, Westwood. Replacements: Cooper, Rauhihi, McCarthy, Mitchell.
Scorers: Tries: Penny, Johnson, Riley, Monaghan, Carvell
Goals: Bridge (4)
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