Pictures Eddie Whitham
WARRINGTON Wolves’ season endured another miserable episode as they surrendered a 14 point lead to lose 30-22 at home to Hull KR.
After leading 14-0 in the first half, Warrington were 22-12 up in the second half but managed to throw away the advantage and with it surely any hopes of reaching the play-offs.
Jake Wardle’s two tries looked like setting up a routine evening for the home hosts as they opened up a solid lead in the first 20 minutes.
He backed up a break from Daryl Clark to race away and then got on the end of a George Williams kick.
The busy Ben Crooks got Hull KR, who had been on the backfoot, on the board and then they moved within two points through Sam Wood’s converted try.
That came moments after Peter Mata’utia was sinbinned for a high tackle on Lachlan Coote.
Stefan Ratchford added a second penalty and the Wolves led 16-12 at half time.
Wolves go the length 🏃#SuperLeague #SLWarHKR pic.twitter.com/yvpO3KOMBu
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) July 22, 2022
They had twice gone close in the second half before Elliot Minchella was sinbinned for pulling back Tom Mikaele chasing a Danny Walker kick.
Warrington made their numerical advantage count almost immediately, as Mikaele crashed over under the posts.
But Hull KR managed to steady the ship, and see out the rest of their spell down to 12 with the score at 22-12.
The game sprung in to life when Korbin Sims backed up close to the Wolves line and then at the last minute got an offload away for Matt Parcell to pounce, with the Wolves defenders asleep to the threat.
Back within four, Rovers had momentum and when Matty Ashton gave away a silly penalty for obstruction off a Hull KR kick, they pounced.
Jez Litten saw the narrow defence on the Warrington left and his caught went past Ashton and was well caught and grounded in the same movement by Ethan Ryan to the level the scores.
Coote stepped up and successfully converted to give Rovers the lead for the first time with less than 10 minutes to play.
Shell-shocked Warrington couldn’t find a way back and salt was rubbed in the wounds with three minutes to go, when Will Dagger’s high kick was spilled by a wobbly Josh Thewlis and he scooped up the loose ball to touch down.
Coote added the conversion to make the points safe.
Although the Wolves remain four points adrift of the play-off places, it is another blow to their hopes of reeling in those above them – with fifth placed Castleford now eight points ahead.
Warrington Wolves: Thewlis, Minikin, Mata’utia, Wardle, Ashton, Ratchford, Williams, Mulhern, D Clark, Harrison, Currie, Holmes, J Clark. Subs: Bullock, Walker, Mikaele, Amor.
Hull KR: Coote, Ryan, Wood, Crooks, Hall, Dagger, Lewis, Sims, Litten, King, Royle, Keinhorst, Minchella. Subs: Parcell, Maher, Richards, Tate.
Pinpoint 🎯@hullkrofficial take the lead at Warrington 👊#SuperLeague #SLWarHKR pic.twitter.com/iy3ZfDhva9
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) July 22, 2022
