Warrington Beat Wakefield To Extend Winning Start

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Warrington Wolves (14) 27


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


Wakefield Trinity (2) 16


Tries: Jowitt, Myers, Pratt Goals: Jowitt 2


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


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


Tries from Toafofoa Sipley and Albert Hopoate, together with the trusted 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 brilliantly developed pursues Max Jowitt and Jayden Myers.


Wire replied as Australian beginner Josh Smith crossed for his first shot but Oliver Pratt's score for Trinity established a nervy ending, with the outcome settled by Sneyd's drop objective and Toby King's late try.


Wire provided additional evidence that they might make a fist of challenging for honours this season as Sneyd gave a kicking masterclass and they had the protective strength to hold company as Trinity came good.


Wakefield had actually won the previous three meetings of these 2, but they were quickly in difficulty as Sneyd slotted over a charge and after that video referee Chris Kendall overturned an on-field decision of "no shot" to give Sipley four points.


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


Wire appeared to have actually made an expensive mistake as they reacted to strong Wakefield pressure right at the end of the half by dedicating repeat offenses which saw Sipley sin-binned and the resulting charge to give his side a toe-hold.


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


Sipley's first act upon returning to the field was a ruck violation which resulted in Trueman coming up with an even better looping cut-out pass and Myers completed to cut the lead to simply four points.


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


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


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


Sneyd dropped an objective and after that broke another delicate kick to the corner for Smith to get and pass in mid-air for King to eliminate any doubt.


Six-try St Helens whip Catalans in Perpignan


'A truly top quality 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 very first half however the video game lost its way a bit in the 2nd half - [it was] not down to the gamers, it simply got a bit stop-start.


"In the very first half we might have assaulted a little much better. There are locations we can take a look at where we can challenge a bit more and ask a couple of more concerns.


"The method the game is going, it will take teams 8 to 10 weeks to figure it out, and it's the same with us. Our perseverance was good 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