by Greg Nixon
A SAMMY Simpson try was all Warrington Wolves had to show in a 4-40 defeat to Wigan at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
The Wire had little response in attack to a well-drilled Warriors team who showed why they are leading the way in this season’s BetFred Super League.
But the fact they kept their visitors to just seven tries is a credit to a defence which managed to stand up well to some brutal running, especially from back rowers Vicky Molyneux and Mary Coleman, and centre Anna Davies, who gave both wings a torrid time all afternoon.
Warrington were two converted tries down before they managed to get decent possession in a first half dominated by the visitors but still found themselves 18-0 down at the break.
And any hopes of a second-half comeback were dashed by two quick tries after halftime to extend Wigan’s lead to 28-0 by the 50th minute.
Hopes had been high that the Wire could dent Wigan’s great start to the season with Emily Baggaley returning to the fold on a two-week loan from St Helens and Lucy Johnson facing up to her old teammates for the first time since her move to Warrington earlier this month.
And the home team seemed to have survived some early pressure but when full-back Anna Dennis was caught in goal after fielding a deep Molyneux kick, Wigan pressed home the advantage and Rachel Thompson crashed over between the posts to make the conversion an easy one for Emma Knowles.
Then when prop Alice Fisher ran the restart back strongly, the Wire defence were wrongfooted enough to allow standoff Isabel Rowe to cut down the wing then step inside to score a solo try to extend the lead. Knowles duly added the extras.
Gradually the Wire worked their way back in the game through some punishing defensive work form the middles and might have opened their account had Dennis’s long pass to winger Rebecca Nixon been a little more accurate.
But all the good work was undone when Wire were harshly penalised for an alleged strip in the tackle on Davies, and from the resultant kick Rowe took control to send Coleman through a gap in the defence. The conversion made it 18-0.
Wigan continued to dominate in possession for the rest of an error-strewn first half but were kept at bay to give Warrington some hope going into the break.
But tries in the first five minutes of the second half from Ellise Derbyshire and Davies extended the lead to 28-0 and effectively took the game away from Warrington.
Simpson crashed over in the corner after the ball had moved through hands on the hour mark, but the home team’s joy was brief as Davies cruised through the Warrington defence just moments later to feed substitute Bethany Hayes who sailed over thanks to an outrageous dummy.
And just as the game appeared to be fizzling out, Davies produced another piece of magic to go in down the left-hand side. Knowles superb touchline conversion was the last action of a game dominated by the visitors.
Warrington:
Anna Dennis, Abigail Johnston, Nicole Barnett, Samantha Simpson, Rebecca Nixon, Millie Bell, Charlize MaGraw, Abigail Latchford, Dannielle Bound , Grace Burnett, Katie Williams, Emily Baggaley, Emily Downs
Subs
Jasmine Wilson, Helena Turner, Megan Condliffe, Lucy Johnson
18th player
Ellie Jelves
