WARRINGTON Wolves went top of the table following a battling 24-16 victory over Catalan Dragons at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
Winger Joel Monaghan bagged a brace of tries as the Wolves inflicted a first defeat of the season on the Dragons in a bruising encounter which saw the game finish twelve a side following the sin binning of Ben Westwood and Brett Webb.
Warrington ran in four tries to give Head Coach Tony Smith the 250th first-team win of his coaching career.
Monaghan’s double and a Richie Myler effort gave Warrington a 16-0 lead but Damien Blanch touched down either side of the break to get the Dragons back in the hunt at 16-12.
A super try from Rhys Evans added the Wolves’ fourth on 56 minutes and Brett Hodgson’s penalty – awarded after Brent Webb and Ben Westwood were sent to the sin-bin for fighting – extended the lead before Zeb Taia rounded off the scoring with the Dragons’ third try late on.
Wolves pressure told early on when Monaghan went over in the right corner for the opening try in the ninth minute. Hodgson converted.
Monaghan was in again in the same place on 29 minutes after the Wolves again got the ball out wide.
A third Warrington try followed, Trent Waterhouse’s inside pass exposed a gaping hole in the defence to give Richie Myler an unopposed run to the line.
The Dragons were in danger of capitulating when full-back Webb made the first of two visits to the sin-bin for interfering at the play-of-the-ball four minutes before half-time.
But a knock-on by Ryan Atkins prevented Warrington taking immediate advantage of their extra man and instead it was Catalan who went up field with Blanch barging over Riley in the right corner from Leon Pryce’s pass. Thomas Bosc landed the touchline conversion to reduce his side’s deficit to 16-6 at the break.
Blanch added his second try 12 minutes into the second half with Ian Henderson drawing four defenders straight from the play-of-the-ball and then serving up the scoring pass. Bosc was again on target from the touchline to get Catalan
within four points.
But Warrington responded with their fourth try, Myler’s kick on the last tackle bouncing kindly for the diving Evans to skillfully touch down with Hodgson adding the extras.
Tempers flared and Webb earned another yellow card, this time after a fracas with Westwood, who also saw yellow. Hodgson added the penalty with Taia’s late effort was proving a mere consolation for the visitors as Bosh failed with the simplest of his conversion attempts.
Warrington Wolves lost the inspirational Lee Briers prior to kick off due to a neck and shoulder injury, while skipper Adrian Morley lasted just seven minutes before suffering a muscle tear in his arm.
Atten 10,015
