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 2 wins from 2 in Super League.


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


Tries from Toafofoa Sipley and Albert Hopoate, along with the trustworthy 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 brilliantly created tries for Max Jowitt and Jayden Myers.


Wire responded as Australian newcomer Josh Smith crossed for his very first try but Oliver Pratt's rating for Trinity established a nervy ending, with the outcome settled by Sneyd's drop goal and Toby King's late try.


Wire offered additional proof that they could make a fist of challenging for honours this season as Sneyd gave a kicking masterclass and they had the defensive strength to hold firm as Trinity came good.


Wakefield had won the previous 3 meetings of these 2, however they were quickly in problem as Sneyd slotted over a penalty and after that video referee Chris Kendall overturned an on-field verdict of "no try" to offer Sipley four points.


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


Wire appeared to have made a costly mistake as they responded 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 charge to provide his side a toe-hold.


That ended up being a firmer platform early in the second half as Trinity used the extra male, Trueman slinging a fine pass over the top for Jowitt to score in the corner.


Sipley's first act upon returning to the field was a ruck infringement which led to coming up with an even much 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 chipped the ball out to Smith, playing first-rate rugby for the first time, to score his very first shot, which Sneyd transformed and then included a charge to provide his side breathing room.


Pratt then got on completion of a great kick by Jack Sinfield to score in the corner and when Jowitt brilliantly nailed the hard conversion, the game was back in the balance.


Wakefield appeared specific to score as Myers streaked 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 stunning deal with to bundle him into touch and retain the lead.


Sneyd dropped an objective and after that cracked another fragile kick to the corner for Smith to get and pass in mid-air for King to remove any doubt.


Six-try St Helens surge Catalans in Perpignan


'A really high-quality video game'


"It was an actually premium video game. Both sides were at 90-something percent conclusion.


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


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


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