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 endured a strong Wakefield fightback in the second half to make it two wins from two in Super League.


The Wolves, who were coming off the back of a blank weekend because of Hull Kingston Rovers' participation in the World 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 trusted 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 produced pursues Max Jowitt and Jayden Myers.


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


Wire offered more evidence that they might make a fist of challenging for honours this season as Sneyd offered a kicking masterclass and they had the protective resilience to hold firm as Trinity came great.


Wakefield had actually won the previous 3 meetings of these 2, but they were soon in difficulty as Sneyd slotted over a charge and then video referee Chris Kendall overturned an on-field decision of "no try" to give Sipley four points.


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


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


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


Sipley's very first act on going back to the field was a ruck infringement which resulted in Trueman coming up with an even better looping cut-out pass and Myers ended up to cut the lead to just 4 points.


That stimulated Wire into action after a drop in pace 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 shot, which Sneyd converted and after that added a penalty to provide his side breathing area.


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


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


Sneyd dropped a goal and then chipped another fragile kick to the corner for Smith to get and pass in mid-air for King to get rid of any doubt.


Six-try St Helens surge Catalans in Perpignan


'An actually top quality video game'


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


"They were physical and we had to ride out the first half however the video game lost its method a bit in the second half - [it was] not down to the gamers, 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 little bit more and ask a few more concerns.


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