WARRINGTON Wolves confirmed their return to form and why they are many people’s favourites for this year’s Super League title with a 40-10 demolition of Wigan.
Following on from last week’s hammering of Widnes, Tony Smith’s men ran in seven tries in a rout at the Halliwell Jones Stadium in front of the Sky cameras.
After Warrington had an early score ruled out by the video referee, it was Wigan who broke the deadlock on 17 minutes when Josh Charnley slid over in the corner.
But it proved to be their only contribution to the scoreboard until the 70th minute, as Warrington ran in 34 unanswered points.
Daryl Clark found a gap to break Wigan’s resolve on 23 minutes and then Ben Westwood had an instant impact off the bench to put the Wolves 12-4 to the good on the half hour mark.
The key score came on the stroke of half time, Kevin Penny leaping to touch down in the corner, converted by Kurt Gidley to give the Wolves plenty of breathing space at the break.
Wigan needed the first try of the second half to get back in to the game, but it didn’t come.
TRY TIME for @rararyan85 as the @wolvesrl make it 28-4 against @WiganWarriorsRL #hardwired pic.twitter.com/eOYFDYHcPI
— warrington-worldwide (@warringtonworld) April 28, 2016
Instead a Ryan Atkins double had the game sewn up by the hour, before Frenchman Ben Julien crossed for try number six.
Wigan, missing a clutch of superstar players including Sam Tomkins, Sean O’Loughlin and Liam Farrell, stopped the rot when John Bateman’s kick came back off the post and the forward managed to touch the ball down for a try.
But Warrington rightly had the final say, Westwood showing great determination to bag his second of the night in the final couple of minutes.
Warrington: Russell, Penny, Evans, Atkins, Lineham, Gidley, Ratchford, Hill, Clark, Sims, Hughes, Currie, Westerman. Subs: King, Cox, Julien, Westwood.
Wigan: Sarginson, Charnley, Gelling, Gildart, Tierney, Gregson, Smith, Clubb, Powell, Mossop, Bateman, Isa, Sutton. Subs: Williams, Tautai, Burke, Wells.
Ben Westwood celebrates his try – ALL PICTURES EDDIE WHITHAM
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