Pictures Eddie Whitham
WARRINGTON Wolves ended a season to forget with victory as they won 32-14 at Salford.
Jason Clark marked his farewell appearance by converting Josh Thewlis’ late try to round off the victory over an under-strength Red Devils side who will face Huddersfield in the play-offs.
It was a first away win at an opponents’ ground since the win over Toulouse in February.
Young half-back Leon Hayes was handed his first start after impressing off the bench in the defeat at Huddersfield, while Tom Whitehead made his debut as a second-half substitute.
Former Wolves forward Sitaleki Akauola was named at centre in a Salford side featuring six debutants, and it was down his side that Warrington unlocked them inside four minutes, Thewlis walking in at the corner.
Oliver Holmes doubled the lead on 12 minutes also on that left side, but Salford worked their way back in to the match.
James Greenwood crashed on to a short ball close to the line to score and reduce arrears to 8-6 in a game that was littered with errors.
Morgan Escare somehow didn’t score after Matt Dufty let a kick go through his hands and legs close to the line, while Joe Bullock was denied a try after crashing on to a smart Danny Walker pass.
Luke Thomas did get over for a try before the break and Warrington led 14-8 at half time.
Hayes’ smart kick to the corner was touched down by Greg Minikin for the first score of the second half but Warrington couldn’t shake Salford off.
Young winger Myles Dalton-Harrop touched down on the hour mark to make it 20-14, before George Williams danced through and romped home under the posts in front of the travelling fans.
That 12 point lead was enough to win the game but right at the end, Thewlis plucked an interception off a tired Daniel Spencer-Tonks pass to enable Clark to finish the afternoon, the season and his Wolves career with a cheer.
Oliver Holmes scores -Picture Eddie Whitham
Salford: Rourke, Williams, Akauola, Coope-Franklin, Harrop, Livett, Escare, Luckley, Bourouh, Burke, Greenwood, Lannon, Vuniyayawa. Subs: Stevens, Spencer-Tonks, Davies, Dupree.
Warrington: Dufty, Minikin, Mata’utia, Wardle, Thewlis, Williams, Hayes, Harrison, Walker, Bullock, Holmes, Nicholson, J Clark. Subs: Mikaele, D Clark, Whitehead, Thomas.
🟡 BARMY ARMY 🔵
Thank you, Wire fans 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/OeXHjdvW3I
— Warrington Wolves (@WarringtonRLFC) September 3, 2022
Legend 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/J6R2KXUGAn
— Warrington Wolves (@WarringtonRLFC) September 3, 2022
🍿 𝗠𝗔𝗧𝗖𝗛 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗟𝗜𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦
Watch all the tries as we finished the season with a win away to the Red Devils ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/CgqJt6Dndr
— Warrington Wolves (@WarringtonRLFC) September 4, 2022
