Warrington Beat Wakefield To Extend Winning Start

59 Comments


Warrington Wolves (14) 27


Tries: Sipley, Hopoate, Smith, King Goals: Sneyd 5 Drop objective: Sneyd


Wakefield Trinity (2) 16


Tries: Jowitt, Myers, Pratt Goals: Jowitt 2


Warrington made it through a strong Wakefield fightback in the 2nd half to make it two wins from 2 in Super League.


The Wolves, who were coming off the back of a blank weekend since of Hull Kingston Rovers' involvement worldwide Club Challenge, appeared to have taken a company grip on the game in the very first half.


Tries from Toafofoa Sipley and Albert Hopoate, together with the dependable kicking of Marc Sneyd, had them 14-2 up at the break.


Trinity, who chalked up their first win of the season at Huddersfield recently, came back well as Jake Trueman remarkably developed tries for Max Jowitt and Jayden Myers.


Wire replied as Australian newbie Josh Smith crossed for his first shot but Oliver Pratt's score for Trinity set up a nervy ending, with the result settled by Sneyd's drop objective and Toby King's late shot.


Wire provided further proof that they could make a fist of challenging for honours this season as Sneyd gave a kicking masterclass and they had the protective resilience to hold company as Trinity came great.


Wakefield had won the previous three conferences of these 2, but they were soon in trouble as Sneyd slotted over a penalty and then video referee Chris Kendall overturned an on-field verdict of "no shot" to give Sipley four points.


A couple of minutes later, Hopoate supported Danny Walker's break to streak away for another shot for 14-0.


Wire appeared to have made an expensive mistake as they reacted to strong Wakefield pressure right at the end of the half by devoting repeat offenses which saw Sipley sin-binned and Jowitt kick the resulting penalty to provide his side a toe-hold.


That became a firmer platform early in the second half as Trinity made use of the extra guy, Trueman slinging a great pass over the top for Jowitt to score in the corner.


Sipley's first act on returning to the field was a ruck infringement which led to Trueman developing an even better looping cut-out pass and Myers ended up to cut the result in just four points.


That stimulated Wire into action after a drop in tempo and Sneyd's boot took control as he cracked the ball out to Smith, playing superior rugby for the very first time, to score his very first try, which Sneyd converted and after that included a charge to give his side breathing time.


Pratt then got on the end of a fine kick by Jack Sinfield to score in the corner and when Jowitt remarkably nailed the tough conversion, the video game was back in the balance.


Wakefield appeared specific to score as Myers spotted for the corner however 20-year-old full-back Cai Taylor-Wray, who wowed the crowd with his attacking prowess against St Helens, produced a magnificent deal with to bundle him into touch and keep the lead.


Sneyd dropped an objective and then broke another fragile kick to the corner for Smith to grab and pass in mid-air for King to eliminate any doubt.


Six-try St Helens surge in Perpignan


'A really premium video game'


"It was a really high-quality game. Both sides were at 90-something percent conclusion.


"They were physical and we had to ride out the first half but the video game lost its way a bit in the 2nd half - [it was] not down to the players, it just got a bit stop-start.


"In the very first half we could have assaulted a little better. There are locations we can look at where we can challenge a bit more and ask a couple of more questions.


"The method the video game is going, it will take groups 8 to 10 weeks to figure it out, and it's the very same with us. Our persistence was proficient at times and we were 100% in the very first half till the regrettable sin-binning."


Warrington Wolves: Taylor-Wray; Thewlis, King, Hopoate, Smith; Williams, Sneyd; Yates, Walker, Byrne, Stone, Harrison, Currie.


Replacements: Sipley, Crowther, Philbin, Tanginoa.


Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt; Pratt, Scott, Hall, Myers; Sinfield, Trueman; McMeeken, Smoothy, Hamlin-Uele, Nikotemo, Vagana, Tevaga.


Replacements: Storton, Pitts, Faatili, Smith.


Referee: Liam Rush