Warrington Wolves make it magnificent seven to go top

WARRINGTON Wolves made it a “magnificent seven” and preserved their 100% start to the new season as they moved top of Super League with a 28-10 win over local rivals Widnes Vikings.

The Vikings, who started the day top of the table on points difference, led 10-0 in the first half but were overpowered by Tony Smith’s men.

In front of a stadium and Warrington Super League record crowd of 15,008, the Wolves fought back to run in five tries.

Warrington included Stefan Ratchford on the bench with Kurt Gidley and Chris Sandow starting in the halves.

They enjoyed the early territory as both teams felt each other out in the opening stages.

But it was the visitors who got on the scoreboard first in somewhat bizarre fashion, as Tom Gilmore’s high kick was knocked back and then grubbered on by Stefan Marsh before it fortuitously popped up for Gilmore to score.

Rhys Hanbury missed the conversion and Gilmore, deputising for the Vikings’ injured skipper Kevin Brown, continued to pepper Matty Russell with bombs in the sun.

The Wolves full back had all the answers to those, but he couldn’t prevent a second Widnes try.

Joe Mellor burst through from Aaron Heremaia’s reverse pass and then sent the pacey Hanbury dancing round Russell to the side of the posts.

From the kick off, Widnes made a mistake as Chris Dean’s loose pass was spilled by Chris Houston, and the Wolves didn’t need a second invitation.

As Widnes looked sturdy in the middle, man of the match Sandow went probing on the left and managed to find the line himself under the attention of two defenders.

That triggered a period of sustained Wolves pressure, and they eventually scored a second try.

The ball came loose in midfield and found its way out to Tom Lineham who finished acrobatically in the same corner that Joel Monaghan scored a memorable winner in the final minute of the same fixture last season.

Widnes had a second effort from Gilmore chalked off and the Wolves went in level at half time thanks to Gidley’s penalty in the final minute of the first half.

It was anyone’s game in the second half and Widnes enjoyed some early field position thanks to Mellor’s pinpoint kick to the corner.

Mellor forced a drop out with a short kick and a combination of errors meant Widnes had four consecutive sets on the Wolves line.

But Warrington’s defence had all the answers and they dealt a killer blow when they went up the other end and took the lead for the first time through Gidley.

A sign of the competitiveness of the game was best reflected by two missed drop goals in the final quarter, from Gidley and Sandow, but in the end it mattered little.

The hosts cut loose in the final quarter as Ryan Atkins out jumped Corey Thompson to claim Sandow’s kick to put the game beyond Widnes.

And the jubilant Wolves fans had another score to enjoy towards the end as Ben Currie crashed over in the left corner.

The Wolves are back in action at Hull on Monday.

Looking happy @rararyan85 @wolvesrl for a gallery of more than 50 photos click here https://t.co/FJ421K3fI6 pic.twitter.com/qextwZt7nR

— warrington-worldwide (@warringtonworld) March 25, 2016

Wow what a win the boys are putting in the hard yards together #Wire #Brothers thanks everyone for coming out the boys loved it 🙌🏾

— Chris Sandow (@Sandow_7) March 25, 2016

Another great win, atmosphere was electric, fans loving it, really enjoyed that one 👍

— Tommy Lineham (@TomLineham) March 25, 2016

Great second half performance from the boys ✌️ credit to both sets of fans for selling out the stadium awesome atmosphere #wire 🏉

— Daryl Clark (@Darylclark9) March 25, 2016

Hi @rararyan85 great to see you before today’s game thanks for joining @WDPcomms volunteers Great try👍 Great win👍 pic.twitter.com/bpunEDYe50

— Dave Thompson MBE DL (@davet21) March 25, 2016

Halliwell Jones rocking after @rararyan85 scores to make it @wolvesrl 22-10 @WidnesRL #SLWarrWid pic.twitter.com/UPD26KGwrl

— warrington-worldwide (@warringtonworld) March 25, 2016