Round 22
Warrington Wolves 43 d. Wigan Warriors 24

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

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

Warrington adds to Wigan's trouble-torn agony
Mon August 6, 2007
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Warrington swept to their fourth win in a row to pile on the agony for trouble-torn Wigan.

The Wolves, with skipper Lee Briers masterminding the show, romped into a 25-6 interval lead to maintain their march up the Super League table.

Briers notched a try, helped set up several others and booted seven goals from seven attempts plus a drop goal.

Wigan axed winger Mark Calderwood after last week's embarrassing Carnegie Challenge Cup semi-final defeat by Catalans at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Boss Brian Noble recalled Chris Ashton with Pat Richards reverting from full back to wing as Wigan desperately sought a much-needed victory after their recent troubles. It never looked like materialising.

A four-point salary cap deduction and Maurice Lindsay's decision to quit at the end of the season has been followed by owner Dave Whelan revealing he is ready to sell Wigan.

Warrington were missing Chris Leikvoll, Paul Johnson and Vinnie Anderson but still had too much power for Wigan.

The Wolves took only three minutes to go ahead with smart passing from Chris Bridge, Briers, Brent Grose and Martin Gleeson putting Stuart Reardon over in the corner.

Then wing sensation Kevin Penny lit up the stadium taking Jon Clarke's pass to race 40 yards and round Ashton with little room to manoeuvre and bag his 10th try in only eight starts.

Mistakes by Ashton and skipper Sean O'Loughlin had proved costly for the first two tries but Wigan threatened a recovery when Phil Bailey and Ashton combined for Liam Colbon to go over after 11 minutes and cut the gap to 12-6.

Then Briers forced his way over from dummy half and booted his third conversion.

Wigan were on the rack and their plight worsened when Brent Grose took Martin Gleeson's pass straight from a scrum to scorch through a gap and make it 24-6.

Wigan switched Ashton to the wing with Richards reverting to full back with Warrington on fire.

It would have been worse for Wigan had Penny and Henry Fa'afili both tried to score from Briers kick and the chance was lost.

Fa'afili then inexplicably dropped the ball over the line after being put through by Bridge.

Gaz Hock was denied a Wigan try by a forward pass from Bridge before Warrington blew a third touchdown when Briers spoiled an electrifying burst by failing to pass to the supporting Martin Gleeson.

A Briers drop goal gave Warrington the commanding interval advantage.

Wigan needed an early score in the second half and Thomas Leuluai obliged, taking Iafeta Paleaaesina's pass to sidestep Grose and go over under the posts with Richards adding the goal.

Warrington missed a fourth try when Penny should have gone himself but passed inside to Henry Fa'afili. Penny took the return ball but was then knocked into touch.

Harrison Hansen saved a Bridge try with a superb tackle after more Briers magic.

Stuart Fielden can consider himself harshly dealt with for his 56th-minute sin-binning for a challenge on Briers whose pass to Clarke extended the lead to 31-12.

Darrell Goulding went over for Wigan but Warrington soon responded through Fa'afili and Bridge to wrap up an emphatic victory.

Goulding added outclassed Wigan's final try in stoppage time.

Report source: www.superleague.co.uk

Article: Slow start frustrates Noble

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