VIDEO: WARRINGTON Wolves blew the chance to secure the League Leaders’ Shield in front of their own fans after 12-man Wigan fought back from 14 points down to win 35-28.
The defeat now means that Tony Smith’s men must now go to Hull in the final round next week and avoid defeat if they are to finish top of the Super League table.
Matty Smith’s drop goal edged Wigan in front with barely five minutes to play, and then Anthony Gelling snared an interception from Declan Patton’s pass to finish off the hosts in the 79th minute.
For long stages of Friday night at the Halliwell Jones Stadium, it looked like Warrington were going to secure only their second League Leaders’ shield triumph, as they did in 2011.
Wigan had played for more than a quarter of the game with just 12 men after Ben Flower was shown the red card for a late challenge on Patton, when they were 28-14 down.
For the first quarter of the match, the Warriors were professional and on top. They scored within two minutes, when winger Lewis Tierney got over for a try in the corner.
Two Matty Smith penalties had the visitors 8-0 up on 20 minutes.
The Wolves got on the scoreboard on 24 minutes through Matty Russell, and they hit the front with a quickfire double from Kurt Gidley and Chris Hill.
Sam Tomkins reduced arrears right on the hooter, scoring a try that was awarded by the video referee, as Warrington went in 16-14 to the good.
Tries from Joe Westerman and Ben Currie in the first 10 minutes of the second half seemed to put Warrington well in command with a three score lead.
And the League Leaders Shield looked virtually guaranteed on 57 minutes when Flower departed from the game.
But the disadvantage rejuvenated Wigan and within eight minutes of the sending off, they were back within four points.
Winger Josh Charnley crossed in the corner for both tries.
The biggest talking point came on 73 minutes and the try that got Wigan back on terms.
Tierney went over in the left corner for a try that was given on the field, but referred to the video referee. It looked like he had, if anything, brushed the touchline with his left hand, but there was insufficient evidence to overturn the on-field ruling and Wigan were level.
Although Jake Shorrocks missed the subsequent conversion, it was Wigan who managed to get up to the attacking end first, after Patton’s long pass was spilled by Ryan Atkins.
As Warrington reset their defensive line thinking a tackle was completed, Wigan managed to offload the ball to Smith, and he kept his cool to slot over the one pointer.
And then as Warrington looked to build field position to give them a chance to get the draw that would have virtually guaranteed top spot given their superior points difference to Hull, Patton threw an interception to Gelling who ran 40 metres unopposed in front of the Warriors fans to secure victory.
After the match Warrington head coach Tony Smith said: “We were in a position where you would like to think you could close the game out, particularly against a team with a man down.
“We take ownership of our own performance and my players had enough chances to win that game but I thought there were some big decisions, some made by the players and some by the officials.”
PICTURES EDDIE WHITHAM
