Warrington Wolves, without a league win in over a month, knew that the ideal preparation for next weekends Challenge Cup Cup Final would be a big win against fourth placed Wigan Warriors at the DW Stadium.
The Warriors knew that a win would lift them level on points with their opponents, and into third place with just a handful of games left until the play-offs.
Both coaches made a number of changes with Tom Lineham returning for the Wolves after suspension, with a second game for loan signing Matty Smith against the side for which he made 139 appearances. The Warriors were without Ben Flower and Joe Burgess.
Defences were in charge through the early exchanges as both attacks poked and prodded. It was Wigan who opened the scoring on fifteen when Bevan French got his first try in Warriors colours being the man on a big overlap to take a Zak Hardaker miss-out pass and dive over in the corner. Hardaker added the touchline conversion as the Wolves defence began their injuest.
Within two minutes the Warriors were in again with George Williams busting the line on the Wolves thirty, throwing a dummy pass to French, and stepping inside Stefan Ratchford to walk in. Hardaker added the extras for 12-0.
Warrington failed to deal with a Thomas Leuluai kick through with the ball ricocheting into the arms of Hardaker to stroll over for the third try of the night. The Warriors full back added the conversion for an 18-0 lead, the Warriors starting to move out of touch.
French’s looked to have scored his second on the half-hour but the video replays showed he lost the ball in the act of sliding over the line under the tackle.
Wigan dominated the scoring, through taking their chances, in a rather dour opening forty minutes.
It looked like a great start to the second half for the Wolves when Declan Patton slid over the line with the ball but the video referee agreed with the on-field official that he’s lost control just before the line and the try was ruled out.
On forty-eight Patton was denied again after bouncing over the line after initially grounding short. The on-field referee ruled ‘No Try’ and the video official agreed that there was a double-movement.
A fifty-second minute Hardaker penalty pushed the lead to four converted tries, the Wolves even further frustrated.
Oliver Gildart was sin-binned on fifty-seven for a swinging arm on Dec Patton but the home side managed to survive the ten minutes with a man short as the Wolves failed to use the advantage.
On seventy-two the Wolves got a consolation try, through Lineham, to avoid being nilled. Harvey Livett was the provider as Lineham took the ball and stooped to go over from five metres. Patton added the conversion from wide for 6-20 but it was way too little, and way too late.
Not the finest of games with a couple of curious refereeing decisions. Wigan will be very satisfied with their evening which ses them up to third place in the league, level on points with the Wolves, and well poised for an assault on Old Trafford through the play-offs. Warrington are in all sorts of strife based on their current form and unless they get some of their superstars back for Welbley next weekend they are staring down the barrel of a good-hiding from the all-conquering St Helens.
Warriors: Hardaker (T, 4G), French (T), Sarginson, Gildart (SB on 57), Marshall, Williams (T), Leuluai, Clubb, Powell, Partington, Isa, Farrell, Smithies. Subs: Navarrete, Greenwood, Byrne, Sammut.
Wolves: Ratchford, Lineham (T), Goodwin, King, Mamo, Patton (G), Smith, Hill, Clark D, Cooper, Currie, Livett, Akauola. Subs: Philbin, Clark J, Westwood, Murdoch-Masila.
Referee: Ben Thaler.
Half-Time: 18-0.
Full-Time: 20-6.
Attendance: .
