Warrington Beat Wakefield To Extend Winning Start

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Warrington Wolves (14) 27


Tries: Sipley, Hopoate, Smith, King Goals: Sneyd 5 Drop goal: Sneyd


Wakefield Trinity (2) 16


Tries: Jowitt, Myers, Pratt Goals: Jowitt 2


Warrington endured a strong Wakefield fightback in the second half to make it two wins from 2 in Super League.


The Wolves, who were coming off the back of a blank weekend due to the fact that of Hull Kingston Rovers' involvement in the World Club Challenge, seemed to have taken a company grip on the game in the first half.


Tries from and Albert Hopoate, along with the trustworthy kicking of Marc Sneyd, had them 14-2 up at the break.


Trinity, who chalked up their first win of the season at Huddersfield last week, came back well as Jake Trueman remarkably created tries for Max Jowitt and Jayden Myers.


Wire replied as Australian newcomer Josh Smith crossed for his very first try however Oliver Pratt's score for Trinity set up a nervy ending, with the result settled by Sneyd's drop goal and Toby King's late try.


Wire provided further proof that they could make a fist of challenging for honours this season as Sneyd provided a kicking masterclass and they had the protective strength to hold firm as Trinity came great.


Wakefield had won the previous three meetings of these 2, however they were quickly in problem as Sneyd slotted over a penalty and then video referee Chris Kendall reversed an on-field verdict of "no shot" to offer Sipley 4 points.


A couple of minutes later on, Hopoate supported Danny Walker's break to streak away for another shot for 14-0.


Wire appeared to have made a costly mistake as they reacted to strong Wakefield pressure right at the end of the half by devoting repeat offences which saw Sipley sin-binned and Jowitt kick the resulting charge to offer his side a toe-hold.


That became a firmer platform early in the 2nd half as Trinity used the extra male, Trueman slinging a great pass over the top for Jowitt to score in the corner.


Sipley's first act on returning to the field was a ruck violation which resulted in Trueman creating an even much better looping cut-out pass and Myers finished to cut the result in simply four points.


That spurred Wire into action after a drop in pace and Sneyd's boot took control as he cracked the ball out to Smith, playing first-rate rugby for the first time, to score his first shot, which Sneyd transformed and then included a penalty to offer his side breathing time.


Pratt then got on the end of a great kick by Jack Sinfield to score in the corner and when Jowitt brilliantly nailed the difficult conversion, the video game was back in the balance.


Wakefield appeared particular to score as Myers streaked for the corner but 20-year-old full-back Cai Taylor-Wray, who wowed the crowd with his assaulting prowess versus St Helens, produced a spectacular take on to bundle him into touch and retain the lead.


Sneyd dropped a goal and after that chipped another fragile kick to the corner for Smith to get and pass in mid-air for King to remove any doubt.


Six-try St Helens whip Catalans in Perpignan


'A truly top quality video game'


"It was a really premium game. Both sides were at 90-something percent completion.


"They were physical and we had to ride out the first half but the game lost its way a bit in the 2nd half - [it was] not down to the players, it just got a bit stop-start.


"In the first half we could have assaulted a little better. There are locations we can look at where we can challenge a bit more and ask a few more questions.


"The method the game is going, it will take groups 8 to 10 weeks to figure it out, and it's the same with us. Our persistence was great at times and we were 100% in the very first half till the regrettable sin-binning."


Warrington Wolves: Taylor-Wray; Thewlis, King, Hopoate, Smith; Williams, Sneyd; Yates, Walker, Byrne, Stone, Harrison, Currie.


Replacements: Sipley, Crowther, Philbin, Tanginoa.


Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt; Pratt, Scott, Hall, Myers; Sinfield, Trueman; McMeeken, Smoothy, Hamlin-Uele, Nikotemo, Vagana, Tevaga.


Replacements: Storton, Pitts, Faatili, Smith.


Referee: Liam Rush