Missing fans miss a treat

WARRINGTON Wolves will be hoping the missing fans start returning after claiming their fifth win in six matches with a 16-8 victory over arch rivals Wigan in a pulsating contest at the Halliwell Jones stadium.
The Warriors have not won a single game in Warrington since the move to the Halliwell Jones and that sequence continued in front of a 10,718 crowd – nearly 3,000 below capacity for a match which is nearly always a sell out.
Before the match Club Chief Executive Andy Gatcliffe urged home supporters to become the “14th man” but with a sizeable following from Wigan, it would appear many Warrington fans are yet to be convinced.
But those who did turn up created a superb atmosphere as Wigan led for almost an hour in a contest between two old rivals that lacked nothing in intensity.
Wigan made a stunning start, launched by the perfect Pat Richards kick-off that bounced in goal and flew over the head of Gareth Carvell.
Warrington then twice charged down Wigan kicks on the last tackle and at the end of the third successive set of six, Thomas Leuluai slid in a grubber kick for Cameron Phelps to touch down.
On the next set of six Ben Westwood gave away a penalty for interference and Joel Tomkins forced his way over only to be held up by a fine effort from former Warrior Richie Mathers.
Wigan immediately forced a drop-out and Warrington faced a sixth successive set of six, failing to handle the ball in the opening eight minutes of the match.
They finally got hold of the ball when Amos Roberts touched down a Leuluai high kick, only for the try to be chalked off because of a Richards knock-on. On another day the Wolves could have already been 0-18 down!
As it was Warrington did well to only concede just six points in that sustained spell of pressure, but for the next 20 minutes it was mostly Wigan who were forced to defend, although they were helped by a couple of errors at key moments by Warrington players, notably a poor Westwood pass when anything with a bit of quality on it would have put Chris Bridge in at the corner.
Lee Briers lofted a kick a yard too high for Matt King into the right corner but it was a repeat of that tactic which finally forced the breakthrough.
Wigan skipper Sean O’Loughlin gave away a penalty for a high shot and this time on the fifth tackle Briers’ kick was perfectly weighted and King leapt above Sean Ainscough to collect and score.
Bridge missed the conversion and Wigan led 6-4 at the break, a lead they quickly doubled through Richards’ boot after Westwood infringed at a ruck.
On 55 minutes Warrington finally grabbed the lead and never looked like surrendering it.
Andy Coley and Stuart Fielden gave away successive penalties and after a superb handling move, Chris Riley finished well in the corner on his 50th appearance for the club. This time Bridge added the extras from the touchline.
It was fitting that such a superb contest was settled by a piece of brilliance, Michael Monaghan jinking past three defenders to score by the posts.
After the match Wolves’ Head of Coaching Tony Smith said: “We still had some errors in us but there was much more energy and enthusiasm in our performance,” Smith added.
“Defensively I thought we were very good on the back of starting a game with six sets on your own line. I challenge the average person to tackle for eight minutes. I get tired thinking about it.
“I thought we were the dominant team apart from that first eight minutes.
“The only scary moments I felt we had were from kicks and that’s saying something about our defence. Wigan have got some terrific attacking players so it was a big effort and we’re pleased to get through that one.
“We do feel we are building but we’ve got a way to go.”
With a Challenge Cup trip to high flying Hull KR next on the menu, perhaps a victory over the old enemy and a trip to Wembley will help bring back the missing Wolves fans.