Pictures Eddie Whitham
WAKEFIELD sent Warrington Wolves crashing to their third defeat of the season with a 38-22 win in front of the Channel 4 cameras with Head Coach Daryl Powell apologising to the fans after the game for a hugely disappointing performance.
Danny Walker’s try on the stroke of half-time had the game finely poised at 18-18 at the break, but it was the visitiors who prevailed in the second half.
Never over until it's over. 😬
Just before the half is up @WarringtonRLFC draw level after capitalising on the error.#C4League | #SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/2eAD5OhxRv
— Channel 4 Sport (@C4Sport) March 19, 2022
A lovely spring afternoon had started in the best possible way for Warrington, when Matty Ashton raced away to open the scoring inside two minutes.
Liam Hood levelled things up before Toby King got on the end of George Williams’ neat kick to restore the Wolves lead.
But Trinity turned the game on its head with tries from Jordan Crowther and Corey Hall.
After Walker’s try off Joe Philbin’s offload made it a tied game at halftime, it took eight minutes of the second half for Wakefield to re-take the lead – Matty Ashurst scoring the try.
A fine finish by Josh Thewlis in the corner reduced arrears to 24-22, with Gareth Widdop’s touchline conversion hitting the post.
How about that?! 🤤
Ever single try today has been sensation. These two teams have turned up big time. 👏#C4League | #SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/AuOgxHamaR
— Channel 4 Sport (@C4Sport) March 19, 2022
That would be the last time Warrington would trouble the scorers – though Mike Cooper might have felt aggrieved not to be given a try with 10 minutes to go when he appears to reach out and touchdown – only for the referee and video referee to disagree.
By that time, Mason Lino had stretched Wakefield’s lead to eight and a penalty following a late shot on Crowther made it 32-22.
And Wakefield rubbed salt in Warrington wounds late on when on-loan full-back Morgan Escare danced through from range and sent the Wolves to their second home defeat of the campaign.
The two sides meet again next week in the Challenge Cup, which Head Coach Daryl Powell says the Wolves simply have to win after a “hugely disappointing” performance.
In his post-match interview Powell said he felt “really uncomfortable” with the performance as he apologised to the fans. “We got beat for effort which is unforgivable!”
“We have got to deliver better than that!”
Meanwhile full-back Stefan Ratchford suffered a shoulder injury in the game which will throw a question mark over his availability for next week’s “must-win” game after three successive defeats.
Danny Walker celebrates – Picture Eddie Whitham
A happy Danny Walker – Picture Eddie Whitham
Warrington: Ratchford, Thewlis, Mata’utia, King, Ashton, Widdop, Williams, Hughes, Walker, Cooper, Currie, Holmes, Davis. Subs: Philbin, J Clark, Longstaff, Butler
Wakefield: Escare, Kay, Lyne, Hall, Johnstone, Miller, Lino, Fifita, Hood, Arona, Ashurst, Pitts, Crowther. Subs: Tanginoa, Whithread, Batchelor, Battye.
Gareth Widdop goes for the line – Picture Eddie Whitham
🗣️ “It’s a poor loss for us.”
The boss Daryl Powell is not impressed after that result.#C4League | #SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/3pyzwcyktg
— Channel 4 Sport (@C4Sport) March 19, 2022
