Round 19
Huddersfield Giants 28 l. Warrington Wolves 47

2007 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

Warrington find missing form
Mon July 9, 2007
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Paul Cullen received some welcome respite as his under-achieving Warrington Wolves side marched to an emphatic victory to encourage hopes that an engage Super League play-off spot is well within their grasp.

A side tipped at the start of the season to be pushing strongly for honours arrived to face Huddersfield Giants third from bottom in the engage Super League.

But they headed back across the Pennines in buoyant mood after displaying in abundance the qualities which have been absent so often in previous games.

Warrington were up for it from the first whistle, brimming with vigour and determination to establish a 20-6 interval advantage.

Two tries from Chris Bridge and one from Stuart Reardon were the least they deserved for their stunning first-half superiority.

That Cullen's men did not buckle after Robbie Paul's third-minute try put Huddersfield ahead said everything about their commitment to the cause.

After the hosts threatened a comeback when Brad Drew crossed the line in the 49th minute, Warrington hit back with four more tries of their own - while Bridge capped a fine performance by completing his hat-trick.

There were positives everywhere for Cullen ? Adrian Morley led a powerful pack by example; Lee Briers was the most creative player on the park, and teenage winger Kevin Penny continued his rise to prominence with two more delightful tries.

Huddersfield's season has been almost as inconsistent as Warrington's - but when Rod Jensen and Stuart Jones combined to send Paul scuttling over the line they looked set for a good day.

Yet Wolves responded in style three minutes later when Briers' clever pass sent Bridge clear - and the former Bradford Academy player shrugged off a couple of pitiful attempted tackles from Huddersfield players to cross the line for a fine score.

Briers then added a penalty, and in the 16th minute Michael Sullivan sent Bridge through a gaping hole to extend the visitors' lead.

Huddersfield coach Jon Sharp brought on giant prop Eorl Crabtree ? nephew of former wrestler Big Daddy.

But he was soon flattened by Morley, and Warrington's advantage increased when Reardon finished off a bewildering array of inter-passing in the right corner.

Teenage discovery Penny had hardly touched the ball until the 45th minute when he took a pass from Paul Johnson and showed blistering speed to race over from 20 metres.

Huddersfield had hope when Drew burrowed over from close range four minutes later, but another Briers penalty and a well-taken try from Sullivan soon swung the pendulum back in Warrington's favour.

They capitalised when Bridge waltzed through for a third time - and although Ryan Hudson's two tries in seven minutes restored the Giants' battered pride, Briers ensured he remained the centre of attention with a drop-goal.

Shane Elford crossed for the Giants in the 79th minute, and Chris Thorman claimed his fourth's conversion from five attempts.

But this was Warrington's day, as was confirmed in the last minute when Penny raced under the posts for his second try, and Briers added the extras to take his personal points tally to 19.

Report source: www.superleague.co.uk

Article: Cullen hails Morley

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