Wolves hang on at Wakefield

WARRINGTON Wolves were again far from convincing as they managed to narrowly beat Wakefield Wildcats 41-34 at the Rapid Solicitors Stadium.
Twice the Wolves held convincing margins at 24-6 and 40-22 but twice they allowed the hosts back into the game and it was only a catalogue of errors which prevented the home side from snatching victory.
Warrington outscored their hosts seven tries to six, with Ryan Atkins, Joel Monaghan (pictured right) and Stefan Ratchford all getting braces but Head Coach Tony Smith will again have been concerned by his sides defensive lapses.
With some senior names missing, Wakefield were behind inside 70 seconds. Atkins found room on the left and kicked ahead, chasing his own grubber down and scoring, with Wakefield’s chasing defence questionable. Brett Hodgson converted from the touchline.
Paul Aiton could have got Wakefield an instant response had he clung on to a ricocheted Tim Smith kick, and the fine margins between success and failure were soon highlighted again as Warrington got a second when Ratchford rsupported Richie Myler’s break and went under the posts after a clean break.
A knock on by Micky Higham error gave Wakefield some rare possession and after a penalty and a strong run from Amor, Sykes saw a gap and went for it, adding his own conversion.
But Warrington hit back as Atkins took a Myler pass – although a knock-on from Ben Westwood appeared to go unpunished. The home fans were unhappy and were even more upset in the 23rd minute, claiming a Simon Grix pass to Joel Monaghan as forward. Hodgson converted both.
A quickfire double from Wakefield’s winger Peter Fox brought them back to life before the break. The England international stumbled in for a ninth of the season and three minutes before the break burst through onto a Tim Smith pass to make it to double figures, with Sykes topping one of them up to get Wakefield back to 24-16.
Reece Lyne made sure pressure was turned into points in the 53rd minute as he dragged Grix over the line with him after an Aiton run and Ali Lauitiiti pass.
But Warrington again showed their mettle to move from one end of the field to the other and score in the corner, Monaghan again showing his class with a great finish.
Ratchford then joined the two-try party – taking a ball at head-height to bounce over – and Hodgson converted, before the full-back flicked an inside ball up to Myler to go in for a seventh touchdown.
Another kick from Hodgson made the score 22-40 which should have put the Wolves out of sight but first Kyle Wood ducked under a tackle off a Tim Smith pass, before Sykes – who goaled – cashed in on good work from Lee and Tim Smith to score under the posts.
Another conversion from Sykes left the difference at six, but his failure to find touch with a penalty and Amor’s subsequent offence allowed Hodgson to slot over a drop goal to ensure the two points.