Pictures Eddie Whitham
WARRINGTON Wolves rounded off the Super League season with a 36-23 win at Wakefield on Friday night.
In what was a dead rubber clash before Thursday’s play-off semi-final against St Helens, the Wolves overturned a 13-12 half time deficit without first choice half-backs Tyrone Roberts and Kevin Brown.
Wakefield broke the deadlock inside five minutes, a break from Tyler Randell ending with him scoring the game’s first try.
Ben Murdoch-Masila responded with a converted try before Joe Arundel put Trinity back in front, and Ryan Hampshire slotted over a drop goal in the final minute of the half for 13-6.
But the Wolves had different ideas, and snatched a try right on the hooter thanks to a break from Josh Charnley that was finished by Toby King.
That lifted the visitors and early second half tries by Stefan Ratchford and Jack Hughes, both converted by Declan Patton, had Warrington 24-13 up.
Hampshire stopped the rot to keep Trinity in it, before Patton converted a try of his own for 30-19.
Ben Jones-Bishop scored out wide on 74 minutes, but the subsequent missed conversion from Hampshire meant Wakefield needed to score twice to deny Warrington the points, and they failed to do.
Warrington travel to St Helens on Thursday night for the do-or-die play-off tie, with a place in the Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford at stake.
Wakefield: Jowitt, Tupou, Lyne, Arundel, Jones-Bishop, Miller, Hampshire, Pauli, Randell, Arona, Ashurst, Batchelor, Crowther. Subs: Wood, Huby, Horo, Annakin.
Warrington: Ratchford, Atkins, Goodwin, T King, Charnley, Livett, Patton, Hill, Clark, Cooper, Hughes, Murdoch-Masila. Subs: Philbin, G King, Akauola, Smith.
