Warrington Beat Wakefield To Extend Winning Start

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Warrington Wolves (14) 27


Tries: Sipley, Hopoate, Smith, King Goals: Sneyd 5 Drop goal: 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 due to the fact that of Hull Kingston Rovers' participation worldwide Club Challenge, appeared to have actually taken a company grip on the game in the first half.


Tries from Toafofoa Sipley and Albert Hopoate, in addition to 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 attempts for Max Jowitt and Jayden Myers.


Wire replied as Australian newbie Josh Smith crossed for his first try however Oliver Pratt's score for Trinity established a nervy ending, with the result settled by Sneyd's drop goal and Toby King's late try.


Wire offered more evidence that they could make a fist of challenging for honours this season as Sneyd provided a kicking masterclass and they had the protective durability to hold company as Trinity came good.


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


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


Wire seemed to have actually made an expensive error as they reacted to strong Wakefield pressure right at the end of the half by committing repeat offences which saw and Jowitt kick the resulting charge to give his side a toe-hold.


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


Sipley's very first act on returning to the field was a ruck violation which resulted in Trueman creating an even much better looping cut-out pass and Myers completed to cut the cause 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 first-class rugby for the first time, to score his very first shot, which Sneyd transformed and after that added a penalty to give his side breathing room.


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


Wakefield seemed certain 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 splendid take on to bundle him into touch and keep the lead.


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


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'A truly top quality video game'


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


"They were physical and we needed to ride out the very first half however the video game lost its way a bit in the second half - [it was] not down to the gamers, it just got a bit stop-start.


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


"The way the video 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 very first half 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