Pictures Eddie Whitham
FORMER coach Tony Smith came back to haunt Warrington Wolves as his new Hull KR side won 16-14 at KCOM Craven Park.
In only Smith’s second game in charge, and his first against Warrington since leaving at the end of 2017, he got one over Steve Price to earn a priceless win for the Super League strugglers.
Ryan Shaw’s conversion four minutes from time proved the difference, after Adam Quinlan scored a fine try to mark his comeback from injury.
A former Warrington man himself, Shaw had opened the scoring on seven minutes with a penalty goal from 30 metres out, while another ex-Wire Will Dagger went close to getting the first try.
It was a current Warrington player that did get that honour though, Bryson Goodwin sliding over on 24 minutes, Dec Patton adding the extras for 6-2.
A Patton penalty stretched that to 8-2, and somewhat crucially, Shaw notched a penalty in return bang on the half time hooter.
Having already won in league and cup at this ground in the past two months, it was a third trip to Hull KR for the Wolves and it would be third time lucky for the hosts.
On 54 minutes, Mose Masoe crashed over under the posts to put the hosts 10-8 in front, but Josh Charnley got the advantage back to the visitors within four minutes.
Hull KR ramped up the pressure and it eventually told with Quinlan scoring the try, and Shaw making sure there was no repeat of the drop goal drama that saw Smith lose in his first game against Wigan last weekend.
