WARRINGTON Wolves made it a hat-trick of wins over St Helens with a 32-18 victory in their latest meeting in Super League.
Having already won in the reverse league fixture, as well as securing a Challenge Cup quarter-final triumph over Saints, Matty Ashton’s hat-trick made sure three was the magic number to claim a timely victory following back-to-back losses against Hull and Leigh.
Ashton’s inside centre Toby King got the scoring underway off a scrum play, brushing off a poor Tristan Sailor tackle to touch down, and he then turned provider to offload for Ashton to sear away down the left touchline in trademark fashion.
Ashton added his second try but Jon Bennison’s response and a brace for Mark Percival meant Saints only trailed 16-14 at the break.
Five minutes after the restart and Ashton was in again, this time showcasing the acrobatic finishing part of his repertoire as he flew in at the left corner.
A key moment came shortly before the hour mark as Percival looked to claim a hat-trick of his own, trying to touch down a kick in-goal, only for the video referee to rule his foot had just touched the dead ball line before he had put the ball down for a try.
Barely five minutes later and Warrington opened up a two score lead as Rodrick Tai somehow managed to cling on to a Josh Thewlis inside pass and momentum took him over the line.
That gave Saints too much to do, and Matt Dufty made the points safe for Sam Burgess’ side before Bennison’s late second in consolation, which means Warrington now move level on points with Saints in the Super League table.
Warrington: Dufty; Thewlis, Tai, King, Ashton; Walker, Sneyd; Yates, Powell, Vaughan, Russell, Fitzgibbon, Currie. Subs: Philbin, Crowther, Musgrove, Harrison
St Helens: Sailor; Bennison, Sambou, Percival, Murphy; Welsby, Whitby; Walmsley, Clark, Lees, Sironen, Whitley, Knowles. Subs: Mbye, Paasi, Delaney, Stephens
