Wolves win Festive Derby clash

NEW SIGNING Matty Russell scored a debut try as Warrington Wolves beat local rivals Widnes 36-32 in the traditional festive fixture.
With both sides far from full strength in this pre-season hit-up, Tony Smith’s men held off a late rally from the hosts to record victory.
It took four minutes for Scotland international Russell, a close season signing from Gold Coast Titans, to score his first points in a Wolves shirt, stepping through off a Gareth O’Brien pass for the opening score.
Those two combined with Rhys Evans to send Kevin Penny over for a try on his return to Wolves colours to stretch the lead to 10-0 after eight minutes.
Any hopes of a walkaway victory were ended by a quickfire Widnes double, with Danny Craven and Willie Isa crossing the whitewash, both converted by Danny Tickle for 12-10.But it was the Wolves who went in to half time in the lead, scoring two further tries through Gene Ormsby and then Ryan Atkins, who collected a neat kick by Brad Dwyer close to the line.
The game struggled to settle in to a rhythm after the break, as both coaches had a look at all the players at their disposal.
Another kick by Dwyer set up the first score of the second half, Ben Currie grounding the ball just short of the dead ball line, before Widnes hit back through former Wolves youngster Liam Hulme, who crashed in under the posts.
Glenn Riley and Andy Ackers got their names on the scoresheet to see the visitors out to a 36-18 advantage, and the end of their scoring, with Widnes adding three late tries to narrow the deficit.
Paddy Flynn squeezed in for a brace of tries on the right hand side, before a superb break by Joe Mellor, man of the match when the Wolves were beaten 16-6 by the Vikings back in August, helped set up a try for Liam Carberry, converted by Jack Owens on the hooter.
Warrington open up their Super League season with a trip to St Helens on Friday February 14.
Widnes: Jack Owens, Paddy Flynn, Stefan Marsh, Chris Dean, Ed Chamberlain, Tom Gilmore, Danny Craven, Phil Joseph, Liam Carberry, Paul Johnson, Macgraff Leuluai, Danny Tickle, Willie Isa. Interchanges: Kieran Butterworth, Liam Hulme, Luke Menzies, Ben Kavanagh, Ted Chapelhow, Matt Whitley.
Wolves: Matty Russell, Gene Ormsby, Ryan Atkins, Rhys Evans, Kevin Penny, Jordan Burke, Gareth O’Brien, Danny Bridge, Brad Dwyer, Glenn Riley, James Laithwaite, Trent Waterhouse, Ben Currie. Interchanges: Ryan Maneely, Joe Philbin, Tom Walker, Ben Evans, James Saltonstall, Toby King, Jacque Peet, Jack Johnson, Andy Ackers.