by Greg Nixon
SAMMI Simpson scored a brace of tries as Warrington Wolves overcame a spirited London Broncos to take a step closer to the Challenge Cup quarter finals.
Simpson, growing into her new role in the second row, scored in the opening minutes and the closing seconds of the game at Rosslyn Park to secure the Wire’s second win of the season.
In a game riddled with mistakes from both sides and stoppages for injuries throughout, Warrington’s game plan was disrupted as early as the first minute when prop Georgia Westwood was forced off with a suspected broken thumb.
Another reshuffle was needed moments later when teenage full-back Anna Dennis was the victim of an alleged hip-drop tackle and had to leave the field with an ankle injury.
However, Warrington dominated the first half despite Broncos drawing level on the score board through a converted try from Jasmine Rampton, who took advantage of some weak defence to crash over by the posts.
Loose Forward Emily Downes made constant inroads into the London defence with her powerful runs down the middle and Charlie Magraw’s kicking game forced error after error from the home side.
Another fumbled kick from Magraw led to the Wire regaining the lead on 20 minutes when, from the scrum, the Warrington forwards set up field position then moved the ball through hands to send winger Lauren Ellison in at the corner.
London seemed to grow in confidence from the restart but resolute defence – and numerous handling errors – prevented them from adding to their score and in the end, it was lost ball that cost them again and led to the move which saw prop Grace Burnett crash through some poor defence to go in by the sticks and take Warrington into the break with a 14-6 lead.
The Wire started the second half as they had left off, with strong runs from Downes, Burnett and young forward Jasmine Wilson coming off the bench.
But if Wire had hoped to exert their superiority after the break, it wasn’t to be, with numerous breaks in play for injuries, notably the home side when defending their own line.
Stand-of Millie Bell also left the field with a head injury meaning yet another early reshuffle of the troops.
Player of the match Abi Johnston finally put an end to any lingering London hopes when she weaved through the London defence midway through the half, and it was left for Simpson to have the final word in the dying seconds.
Winger Johnston was pleased with the win, saying: “We didn’t do ourselves justice in the first half but we pulled together as a team in the second half and had a massive game.
“We travelled a long way and that didn’t help but we got our act together. I felt I had a good performance but there are things I can improve on for the next game.
“It’s all eyes on the Saints game now. It’s going to be a very tough game but I can’t wait to see what we are made of.”
Warrington:
1 Anna Dennis
2 Abigail Johnstone
3 Nicola Barnett
19 Grace Wray
21 Lauren Ellison
6 Millie Bell
7 Charlie McGraw
30 Georgia Westwood
9 Dani Bound
10 Grace Burnett
11 Katie May Williams
12 Sammi Simpson
13 Emily Downes
Subs
Megan Condliffe
Jasmine Wilson
Sarina Tamou
Jasmine Wilson
Tina Millan
18th Rebecca Nixon
19th Shauna Fitzgerald
