PICTURES EDDIE WHITHAM
WARRINGTON Wolves’ 10 match winning run came to an end with a 38-10 defeat against Wigan Warriors at Magic Weekend.
In a dress rehearsal for next month’s Challenge Cup quarter-final, the Wolves were kept scoreless in the second half as the Warriors moved four points clear in second place in the Super League table.
After conceding an early penalty, Warrington took the lead on 12 minutes through Harvey Livett’s sixth try in four games, but that 4-2 advantage would be the only time they would be in front in the game.
Sam Powell reached over to nudge Wigan in front and then Sam Tomkins evaded his former team mate Josh Charnley for 14-4.
Stefan Ratchford got on the end of a Kevin Brown kick to score his ninth try in Magic Weekend history, a joint record, before Tomkins converted a penalty on the stroke of half time following a high shot by Tyrone Roberts to give Wigan a 16-10 advantage at the break.
Livett was denied by the video referee following a brilliant try-saving tackle by Ryan Sutton in the early exchanges of the second half, but the Wolves were then hit by a double hammer blow.
First Morgan Escare sent John Bateman over for a try and two minutes later Liam Marshall broke away to find George Williams backing up on his inside.
That gave the Warriors breathing space at 26-10 and though Tomkins would miss a routine penalty, it would make little difference.
Ratchford thought he’d given the Wolves faint hope on 72 minutes, only for the video referee to rule it out for obstruction.
And Wigan rubbed salt in the wounds late on as wingers Marshall and Tom Davies crossed for tries and Tomkins had the final say with a penalty from bang in front of the posts in the final minute.
Warrington welcome Hull to the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Friday before hosting Wigan in the last eight of the Challenge Cup the following weekend.
Wigan: Tomkins, Davies, Bateman, Gildart, Marshall, Williams, Powell, Clubb, Leuluai, Flower, Isa, Farrell, Tomkins. Subs: Escare, Sutton, Navarette, Tautai.
Warrington: Ratchford, Lineham, Goodwin, Atkins, Charnley, Brown, Roberts, Hill, Clark, Akauola, Livett, Hughes, Westwood. Subs: Murdoch-Masila, Patton, Philbin, G King.
“We will dust ourselves off. We have a lot of hard work to do with an important game against Hull next week.”
Steve Price reflects on today’s Magic Weekend defeat to Wigan ➡ https://t.co/UcSiiWH11N pic.twitter.com/6PxvwECRX9
— Warrington Wolves (@wolvesrl) May 19, 2018
