Pictures Eddie Whitham
WARRINGTON Wolves crashed out of the Challenge Cup at the first hurdle as they suffered back-to-back home defeats to Wakefield Trinity and their fourth consecutive loss in all games.
Described as a “must-win” game by Head Coach Daryl Powell after last week’s disappointing home league defeat, the Wolves threw away a 12-6 halftime advantage as they were kept pointless by the visitors in the second half as they were beaten 12-16.
Wakefield had trailed to early tries from Connor Wrench and Josh Thewlis as Wire led 12-0 but Lewis Murphy replied and Reece Lyne and Corey Hall went over in the second half to seal Trinity’s first Challenge Cup win at Warrington since 1963!
The defeat means Warrington will miss out on a glamour home tie against Wigan in the quarter-finals.
Warrington got off to the best possible start, controlling the opening stages and were rewarded with back-to-back tries as Wrench dived over in the corner before Danny Walker set up Thewlis for the second.
But Trinity hit back with Max Jowitt and Hall combining to send Murphy over to make it 12-6 at half-time.
Wakefield remained dangerous in attack in the second half and leveled the game as Liam Kay found Lyne, who raced in from 25 yards out.
Two minutes later, Hall crossed for the decisive try and while Mason Lino missed a difficult conversion, Trinity held on to repeat last week’s league success to add to Warrington’s woes.
Warrington: Thewlis; Charnley, Mata’utia, King, Wrench; Widdop, Williams; Mulhern, Walker, Cooper, Currie, Robson, Holmes.
Interchanges: Philbin, D Clark, Davis, Magoulias.
Wakefield: Jowitt; Kay, Lyne, Hall, Murphy; Miller, Lino; Arona, Hood, Tanginoa, Ashurst, Pitts, Crowther.
Interchanges: Battye, Whitbread, Batchelor, Aydin.
Referee: Jack Smith (RFL).
Warrington (12) 12
Tries: Wrench, Thewlis Goals: Widdop 2
Wakefield (6) 16
Tries: Murphy, Lyne, Hall Goals: Lino 2
😃 A buzzing Mason Lino reacts to a memorable win for @WTrinityRL!
👏 He’s your #OURLEAGUE Player of the Match with a huge 63.2% of the vote. pic.twitter.com/HbN0WnxOjj
— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) March 27, 2022
👏 Take a bow @WTrinityRL! Can they hold out and claim a Quarter-Final place…?
📺 @PremierSportsTV
🏆 @Betfred #ChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/M8eswlIMYp— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) March 27, 2022
🔥 @WTrinityRL’s Reece Lyne scores his first @Betfred #ChallengeCup try since 2011 – and what a way to do it!
📺 @PremierSportsTV
🏆 @Betfred #ChallengeCuppic.twitter.com/Wwe65XubyI— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) March 27, 2022
🐺 @WarringtonRLFC have made a strong start to this one!
📺 @PremierSportsTV
🏆 @Betfred #ChallengeCup pic.twitter.com/sWkZufiVVM— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) March 27, 2022
