VIDEO: WARRINGTON Wolves marked their annual heritage day with a 34-30 win over Huddersfield Giants in an entertaining battle at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
Despite a hat-trick from former player Gene Ormsby, the Wolves got the better of bottom-four Huddersfield to ensure they finish the first phase of the Super League season in second place, behind Hull.
To celebrate the club’s history, Warrington fans were encouraged to wear their retro shirts from yesteryear, and that included mascot Wolfie, who wore his old Warrington Worldwide sponsored kit from the last decade.
Warrington got the game’s first points on seven minutes in a counter attack, Stefan Ratchford scooping up a loose pass by Huddersfield’s Ryan Brierley before racing 90 metres for a fine score.
The Wolves squeezed their opponents in the opening quarter and they doubled their lead on 13 minutes, as the ball moved to the left with Ryan Atkins exchanging passes with Ben Currie for the latter to score.
In an ironic twist of fate on the Wolves’ popular heritage day, it was a former Warrington player that got the Giants on the board. Winger Gene Ormsby, who recently left the Halliwell Jones Stadium for Yorkshire on a permanent basis, scored in the corner with Danny Brough converting to reduce the score to 10-6.
It was the Giants turn to apply some pressure, and they made it tell on 25 minutes when Aaron Murphy went over in the other corner to level the scores at 10-all.
Ormsby was clearly out to send a message to his former employers, and grabbed his second try five minutes before the break, only to see his ex-teammates wrestle back the lead on the stroke of half time.
Fans favourite Ben Westwood crossed the whitewash after a fine break by Rhys Evans, with Kurt Gidley adding the conversion to give the Wolves a 16-14 half-time lead.
The game was turning in to a see-saw encounter, and the Giants regained the lead five minutes in to the second half when Nathan Mason found the line under attention from a couple of tacklers.
But a quick-fire double from Chris Sandow and Atkins, together with a brace of Gidley conversions, had the Wolves two scores in front at 28-20.
The Giants wouldn’t go away, and Ormsby marked his return to town with a hat-trick try.
When Chris Huby crossed under the posts with 10 to play, it looked like Huddersfield might steal the show on Warrington’s day of heritage celebration.
But hooker Daryl Clark made sure the home fans went home happy, taking advantage of a repeat set and scoring the gamebreaking try on 76 minutes.
After the game Wolves’ head of coaching Tony Smith who described it as an “entertaining game” said he didn’t think Huddersfield were a “bottom of the league team.”
But he admitted Warrington would need to be better for their challenge cup semi-final against Wakefield Trinity Wildcats next Saturday.
He said Warrington had been guilty of making too many errors and letting Huddersfield back into the game although there were some fanastic skills on show.
“Some aspects of our game were very pleasing and it was not all doom and gloom,” he added.
Worldwide Editor Gary Skentelbery takes a trip down memory lane with Wolfie
Stefan Ratchford opens the scoring Picture Bob Brough
Ryan Atkins heads for the line Picture Bob Brough
Chris Sandow breaks clear Picture Bob Brough
Chris Sandow scores Picture Bob Brough
Daryl Clark snatched the late winner Picture Bob Brough
Clark jumping for joy Picture Bob Brough
a hat-trick in vain for former Wire Gene Ormsby Picture Bob Brough
All pictures courtesy Bob Brough www.warringtonwolves.com
Warrington: Ratchford, Russell, T King, Atkins, R Evans, Gidley, Sandow, Hill, Clark, Sims, Currie, Hughes, Westerman. Subs: Dwyer, Westwood, Bailey, G King.
Huddersfield: Brierley, Murphy, Cudjoe, Connor, Ormsby, Brough, Ellis, Rapira, Hinchcliffe, Huby, Ta’ai, Lawrence, Ikahihifo. Subs: Wood, Roberts, Mason, Crabtree
TRY time for @wolvesrl @BenoCurrie v @Giantsrl 10-0 after 20 mins #Warrington #hardwired pic.twitter.com/9wRHszDNRB
— warrington-worldwide (@warringtonworld) July 23, 2016
Super @bennie_westwood gives @wolvesrl a 16-14 lead v @Giantsrl #hardwired pic.twitter.com/zFTIHJZhoo
— warrington-worldwide (@warringtonworld) July 23, 2016
