Warrington Hold Back York To Maintain 100% Start

6 March 2026


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York (18) 30


Tries: Jones-Bishop, Balmforth, Mata'afa, Vaughan, Harris Goals: Richardson 5


Warrington (22) 38


Tries: Stone 2, Thewlis 2, Taylor-Wray, Williams, Currie Goals: Sneyd 5


Warrington Wolves maintained their 100% start to the Super League season by holding back a perky York Knights side in an electric high-scoring encounter.


The 30-38 scoreline consisted of 12 tries shared between the sides, with a manic 40-point first half.


Josh Thewlis and Sam Stone probably made the difference for the visitors, contributing a pair of attempts each.


There was an unique moment for Ben Currie too, who scored his 100th shot for Warrington in the second half.


The Wolves moved level with Wigan Warriors at the top of the table on 6 points, with York in ninth having won 2 out of their four games up until now.


With a quarter of an hour on the clock, it looked as though the very first Super League meeting between these 2 sides would be a really one-sided affair.


Stone, Thewlis and the outstanding Cai Taylor-Wray provided the visitors the perfect start with 3 quick ratings, as the Wolves twice barged through the home defence either side of Taylor-Wray gathering a cool pass to discuss in the corner.


Fifteen minutes later, Warrington, incredibly, found themselves behind following a storming resurgence from the home side.


Ben Jones-Bishop got the Knights on the board, before Denive Balmforth reviewed following smart hands from full-back Tom Mata'afa, who scored a try of his own minutes later to complete the turnaround.


The lead altered hands once again minutes later on, Stone scoring his second try to send out the Wolves in 22-18 at the break.


The second half mirrored the first, as the hosts came out of the traps slower than their more experienced Super League challengers. George Williams crossed to score before Currie raised his century of shots for Warrington, from under the posts.


Still the hosts refused to accept defeat, as Paul Vaughan, against his former side, and Liam Harris declared attempts to bring the Knights within 2 points of their challengers.


Thewlis went over once again with 10 minutes to go, and Marc Sneyd transformed the bonus as the Wolves saw out victory.


They return to action at Goole Vikings in the Challenge Cup on Saturday, 14 March, while York face Keighley Cougars in the same competitors.


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'We anticipate better from ourselves' - reaction


coach Mark Applegarth told BBC Radio York:


"Fair play to Warrington, congratulations to them. They began actually strong in both halves and we got caught.


"I was actually pleased with the spirit we showed and how we got back into it, however there were some valuable lessons for us in all of that.


"If you score 30 points in a game, that should be enough to win it, but I thought we left some soft tries there.


"I believed we looked fantastic on the front foot, but the momentum shifts at this level are enormous, and these groups can post some huge scores quite quickly.


"We're not here to be pleased losers so it does sting a bit that we got ourselves back into the video game and let it escape us again. We anticipate better from ourselves."


York: Mata'afa; Jones-Bishop, Wood, Williams, Nofoaluma; Richardson, Harris; Martin, McShane, Vaughan, Field, Dee, Thompson.


Interchanges: Griffin, Balmforth, Va'a, Sangare.


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


Interchanges: Powell, Sipley, Philbin, Tanginoa.