Round 24
Warrington Wolves 22 d. Les Catalans Dragons 18

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

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

Warrigton keep Finals hopes alive as Catalans get set for Wembley
Mon August 20, 2007
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Warrington Wolves outscored Challenge Cup finalists Catalans Dragons by five tries to three to get their Super League play-off challenge back on track courteasy of a 22-18 win.

Full-back Brent Grose touched down twice at the Halliwell Jones Stadium as the Wolves exacted revenge for their two defeats in Perpignan this season and bounced back from last week's heavy defeat at Hull.

Warrington would have enjoyed a more comfortable success but for some wayward goalkicking, with Lee Briers and Ben Westwood landing just one conversion from five attempts between them.

The Catalans, returning to the scene of their famous semi-final win over Wigan, took the gamble of fielding a near full-strength team ahead of Saturday's Wembley showdown with St Helens.

But the Perpignan club were handed a potential disciplinary headache when prop David Ferriol was placed on report for alleged use of his elbow in the tackle just before the interval.

Former Warrington forward Jerome Guisset was the only Dragons player rested ahead of the trip to Wembley while the Wolves gave a debut to 18-year-old second rower Lee Mitchell, a late call-up following the withdrawal of Henry Fa'afili and Simon Grix with ankle injuries.

The French side created the first chance of the match when veteran second rower Jason Croker broke clear but he could not beat last man Grose and Warrington right winger Kevin Penny missed out at the other end when he failed to take Briers' high kick with the line at his mercy.

Left winger Chris Riley demonstrated better finishing when he took Jon Clark's long pass and forced his way over at the corner to open the scoring after 13 minutes.

The Dragons levelled nine minutes later when full-back Clint Greenshields crossed wide out and Stacey Jones edged his side in front with the conversion.

The speedy Penny then made up for his earlier blunder by racing onto Briers' kick to claim his 11th try in 10 starts and maintain the big impression he has made in his breakthrough season.

Riley had a try disallowed for putting a foot in touch before Grose increased the home side's lead, jinking his way over for his first try seven minutes before the break.

Briers, furious over referee Steve Ganson's decision to refer the try to video referee Phil Bentham for a possible obstruction, was sin-binned for dissent and, in his absence, Westwood missed the conversion.

The Dragons drew level for a second time three minutes into the second half when Jones took a return pass from second rower Cyril Gossard to score his side's second try and added the goal.

But Grose sliced through the visitors' defence for his second try on 46 minutes and, with Greenshields in the sin bin for a professional foul, Briers broke clear to send prop Rob Parker over for his first try of the season.

After three misses, Briers at last found the target with his goalkick to stretch the Wolves' lead to 22-12.

The Dragons were reduced to 12 men for a second time when centre John Wilson was sin-binned for a cynical foul on Penny, who was outstanding in defence, but they had the last say when winger Justin Murphy won the race to Sebastien Raguin's grubber kick in injury time to score a third try.

Report source: www.superleague.co.uk

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