Wizards suffer first defeat

WARRINGTON Wizards lost their unbeaten record when a very disappointing performance saw them suffer a comprehensive defeat by Hemel Stags in Conference Three at Wilderspool Stadium.
The Wizards started very poorly and soon had a mountain to climb and despite a better showing in the last half an hour the damage had already been done and the Stags made the long trip back down South with all three points.
Hemel opened the scoring after four minutes when second row Seb Ward took advantage of some ill-discipline in the Wizards defence by scoring from close range following a penalty. Scrum half Ryan Butcher converted and then nine minutes later a loose pass from Butcher went to ground but second row Eddie M’Baraga managed to recover it well and stretch over to score.
The visitors stretched their lead in the eighteenth minute when a kick on the last tackle by Butcher saw substitute Ashley Fyson react quickest to collect and score and nine minutes afterwards quick hands saw the ball moved out wide and with the Wizards defence stretched they moved the ball back inside to M’Baraga who went through some weak tackling to score under the posts. Butcher converted both tries to put his side in command at 22-0.
Seven minutes before the break the Wizards managed to get themselves off the mark when good work by second row Ryan Jones saw him create space for hooker Hayden James to scoot through a gap and score from close range to make the half time score 22-4 in Hemel’s favour.
Any thoughts of a Wizards revival were dashed three minutes into the second half when a penalty to the Stags saw them get deep into the Wizards half and the ball was swept through several pairs of hands to M’Baraga who went over for his hat trick; Butcher added the goal points and three minutes later Butcher went on his own from close by to score under the posts and give himself the easiest of conversions.
The Wizards refused to lie down and the introduction of substitute Graham Healey seemed to galvanise them and they were rewarded when lovely work from stand off Alan Reddecliff saw him find centre Sean Conway in support to score wide out on the left and the eight minutes from time a superb ball from prop forward Christian Froggatt found Reddecliff who broke clear before putting James over for his second try to make the final score 34-12 to a jubilant Hemel side.
Best for the Wizards were full back Troy Brophy, stand off Alan Reddecliff, substitute Mike Leicester and second row Ryan Jones.
After the game Wizards Head Coach Nick Owen said, “We never really got started and Hemel got on a roll early on and took the game away from us; full credit to the Stags who thoroughly deserved the win. We played a lot better in the last half hour but by then the damage had been done.”
The Wizards will be aiming to bounce back from their first defeat of the season when they travel to Bramley Buffaloes in the Conference Three on Friday evening in a re-arranged fixture that should have taken place on the opening weekend of the season. Kick off is 8.00pm and the coach leaves The Village Hotel at 5.00pm for any supporters wishing to travel. Please contact Nikki Whalley on 01925 837829 to secure your place.

WIZARDS
Troy Brophy, Craig Middlemore, Mike Stout, Sean Conway, Christian Taylor, Alan Reddecliff, Ian Stephenson, Dan Crampton, Hayden James, Christian Froggatt, Mike Rosson, Ryan Jones, Paul Reynolds.
Subs:Graham Healey, Warren Ayres, Dan Stubbs, Mike Leicester.