Wolves beaten by Leigh in Toby King testimonial

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WARRINGTON Wolves’ final pre-season run-out ended in defeat as three late tries helped Leigh Leopards to a 20-12 victory in Toby King’s testimonial.

The game was played in celebration of milestone man King, who receive a guard of honour as he stepped out onto the Halliwell Jones Stadium turf ahead of kick-off.

Head coach Sam Burgess gave many of his first team regulars their first minutes of pre-season, ahead of their first competitive fixture of the year at Whitehaven in the third round of the Betfred Challenge Cup.
But it was the visitors who struck first inside five minutes, new signing Bailey Hodgson combining with former Dolphins outside back Tesi Niu to crash over from close range.
The hosts struck back inside 10 minutes as last season’s top try-scorer Matty Ashton – the beneficiary of quick hands out wide – produced a trademark flying finish in the corner.
It remained 6-6 until the end of an evenly-match first half, with the impressive Oli Leyland and full-back Matt Dufty going closest to troubling the scoreboard.
On his big day, King played a major part in Warrington’s second try of the evening shortly before the hour mark. It was his perfectly-timed pass which found Jake Thewlis, whose converted effort made it 12-6.
Burgess opted for a more experimental approach in the second half, with changes aplenty as some of his younger players – Thewlis included – staked their claim for the season ahead.
But with many of their regulars withdrawn, Leigh began to take control and moved back to within two points as Andy Badrock held off three defenders to somehow wriggle his way over.

Then, as testimonial man King left the field to a rousing ovation with 10 minutes to play, the Leopards hit the front through former Warrington centre Keanan Brand.
Young full-back Cai Taylor-Wray did well to halt Hodgson’s break downfield, but seconds later, Leigh had the numbers out wide and Brand was able to dive over in the corner.
That made it 14-12 in favour of the visitors, who wrapped up the victory with time ticking by as another of their former players, Matty Davis, broke through the middle and had the supporting Nathan Wilde on-hand to dive over for their third try in six minutes.
Burgess’ men will now prepare for a trip to the Ortus Rec next Saturday, with Whitehaven their opponents.

Warrington: Dufty, Johnson, Tai, King, Ashton, Williams, Leyland, Vaughan, Walker, Yates, Holroyd, Russell, Currie. Subs: Philbin, Musgrove, Crowther, Whitehead, Taylor-Wray, Wood, Green, Thomas, Jake Thewlis, Bardsley-Rowe, Tupaea, Hartill, Hickey.

Leigh: Armstrong, Brand, Niu, Hanley, Hodgson, O’Brien, Lam, Trout, Davis, Pene, Halton, O’Neill, Liu. Subs: Hughes, Tuitavake, Rothwell, Dwyer, Darbyshire, Brogan, Martin, Badrock, McNamara, Wilde, Brough, Towse, Brown.


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Journalist and sport content specialist, who is also editor of Love Rugby League. Formerly ran the official website of the Carling Cup, as well as operating a digital services business in Warrington.

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