Wakefield Trinity took on the Wolves as a bottom of the table dogfight took place on Sunday afternoon at Belle Vue with ninth against eleventh and the chance of all change with a home win by twenty-four points or more heralding a position switch to push the Wolves into eleventh spot.
Wakefield won the round six the game in Warrrington back in mid-March by 38-22, and a week later they knocked Warrington out of the Challenge Cup by a score line of 16-12, today they were looking for the treble.
The home side were given a four-point start on the coupon, the bookies struggling to pick a winner but favouring the Wolves based on league position.
Wakefield looked the more dangerous in the opening exchanges but on their first real attack Daryl Clark went from acting half back and used the post pad for protection to go over against the run of play. Stefan Ratchford added the extras for a 6-0 lead after eighteen minutes.
Wakefield struck straight back after a Jacob Miller high kick wasn´t taken by the Wolves defence with James Batchelor making the most of the opportunity to go in for Trinity´s first points of the game. Mason Lino added the conversion to level the scores.
Widdop went round the outside of Batchelor and improved the angle running behind the sticks to make the Ratchford kick a formality to give the visitors a 12-6 lead with five minutes until the interval.
Matty Ashurst ran a perfect line to take a Lino pass to go in for the fourth try of the half and get Trinity cack within two of the Wolves, and when Lino added the conversion, it was all square at the break.
Shortly after the restart Connor Wrench was the last man in the line to take full advantage of a Thomas Mikaele drive and fast hands passing. Ratchford added the extras from wide in a swirling wind for 18-12.
Once again Wakefield struck back with speed as Batchelor again went over off a Mason Lino pass and once again Lino added the conversion to again level the scores on fifty minutes.
A length of the field try from Matty Ashton regained the lead for the Wolves as Jay Pitts squeezed out a pass which went to ground. No one was catching the speedy winger as they chased him back to the line. Ratchford added the conversion and for the fourth time in the game the Wolves had a six-point lead.
Great Wakefield pressure on the Warrington line saw them get their fourth try with Liam Hood diving over after a scoot from acting half back. Lino added the conversion and inside the last ten minutes the game was again all square at 24-24.
A Warrington break from George Williams looked like it was certain to give the Wolves the lead again but a terrific chase and tackle from Lewis Murphy forced a knock-on.
Trinity hit the front on seventy-six with Kelepi Tanginoa breaking the line to get in for the crucial try which could have long term repercussions throughout the league. The ever dependable Lino added the conversion for a six-point lead as Wakefield ran down the clock to another win over the Wolves.
Once again Wakefield Trinity snatched a victory from the jaws of defeat and after trailing four times in the game, they managed to grab the points and take an all important two league points to condemn the Wolves to a fifth consecutive defeat. The sides stay where they were in the table, but now it´s only points difference separating them. Trin coach Willie Poching will be delighted, Daryl Powell will be reaching for the ´coaching vacancies´ lists.
Wakefield Trinity: Gaskell, Lineham, Batchelor (2T), Hall, Murphy, Miller, Lino (5G), Fifita, Hood (T), Whitbread, Ashurst (T), Pitts, Crowther. Subs: Arona, Tanginoa (T), Battye, Aydin.
Warrington Wolves: Widdop (T), Wrench (T), Thewlis, King, Ashton (T), Ratchford (4G), Williams, Mulhern, Clark D (T), Cooper, Currie, Holmes, Davis. Subs: Philbin, Walker, Amor, Mikaele.
Half-Time: 12-12.
Full-Time: 30-24.
Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, 4-6, 6-6, 6-10, 6-12, 10-12, 12-12 : HT : 12-16, 12-18, 16-18, 18-18, 18-22, 18-24, 22-24, 24-24, 28-24, 30-24 : FT.
Lead Exchanges: Warrington – Square - Warrington – Square - Warrington – Square – Warrington – Square - Wakefield.
Referee: Tom Grant.