Injury-hit Wolves fall agonisingly short of Wigan at Magic Weekend

A HEROIC effort by Warrington Wolves at Magic Weekend came up just short against champions Wigan, as they went down 22-20.

Stefan Ratchford missed a late conversion from the touchline that would have forced extra time after the injury-hit Wolves had battled back from 22-10 down in a game that few had given them a chance to win.

It was a battling match for the occasion as despite missing several key players, Warrington did significantly better than the last meeting in Las Vegas.
After keeping the Warriors in their own half early doors, a spill by Matt Dufty set up Wigan to build pressure in the Wolves half, and it eventually told when Jai Field walked in down the right.

Field then seared through on the left and found Bevan French on his inside shoulder, referee Chris Kendall knocked down by Jake Thewlis’ attempts to cover, to make it 12-0 and it looked like it could be a long afternoon.

But Warrington had chances of their own, French holding Arron Lindop up close to the line.

With no George Williams, Marc Sneyd, Matty Ashton or Toby King in the backline, and no Danny Walker at hooker, it was Dufty that was chief orchestrater and he set up the first try for Jake Thewlis in the left corner.

Wigan had a try for Field chalked off for obstruction and then a slip by Liam Marshall stopped him going over on the left with Dufty covering.

It was still game on at 12-4 coming out for the second half, and Warrington made it even closer with a try that came from keeping the ball alive on the last tackle.

A few offloads found Jake Thewlis, who ran across field to find Oli Leyland, and his grubber kick sat up in the right corner for Rodrick Tai to dive over.

Another break on the left orchestrated by Dufty was called back due to a forward pass by James Harrison as Warrington had the better of the opening exchanges, but the first time Wigan had any ball at the Warrington end they scored, a walk in for Abbas Miski on the right.

Jake Thewlis thought he had his second try on 65 minutes but Stefan Ratchford’s long pass was called forward.

It looked like game over when Jake Thewlis spilled the ball and Adam Keighran picked up to go 50 metres, Dufty brushed off in the tackle to make it 22-10 with 10 minutes to go.

But Warrington weren’t done. Joe Philbin took advantage of some Wigan napping in defence to just about brush the whitewash for a try, and then Dufty led a stunning break on the left that ended with Jake Thewlis taking a pass off his brother Josh to score.

Ratchford missed the conversion from the touchline, and then failed with a short drop-out attempt as Warrington couldn’t find the possession or territory to get anything out of the match in the final two minutes.

After the game Head Coach Sam Burgess, while disappointed with the defeat, said he felt immense pride in the way his team stayed in the game and said they couldn’t be faulted for effort.

Wigan: Field, Miski, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall, French, Smith, Byrne, O’Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis. Subs: Leeming, Dupree, Hill, Walters

Warrington: Dufty, Josh Thewlis, Lindop, Tai, Jake Thewlis, Ratchford, Leyland, Yates, Powell, Vaughan, Holroyd, Fitzgibbon, Currie. Subs: Harrison, Philbin, Musgrove, Crowther.