Super League: Warrington Wolves 26-40 Wakefield Wildcats

Chris Riley initially joined Wakefield Trinity Wildcats on a month-long loan from Warrington Wolves in March

On-loan winger Chris Riley scored a hat-trick against his parent club to help Wakefield beat Warrington.

The visitors led 16-10 at the break, Riley grabbing a brace and Danny Washbrook going over, while Rhys Evans and Joel Monaghan replied.

Evans went in again before Riley completed his treble after the break.

Jimmy Keinhorst, Richie Mathers and Nick Scruton ensured victory in a tense finish after Stefan Ratchford and Ryan Atkins went over for the home side.

The win moves Wakefield up to 10th in the table and to within two points of Super League's top eight.

Despite Warrington suffering their second successive defeat after a remarkable 10-match winning run was ended at Widnes last week, the Wire remain fifth in the table, just two points outside the top four.

Wolves went ahead inside 30 seconds with Evans finishing off a length-of-the-field move which started with Gareth O'Brien sending Ben Currie clear.

Former Warrington full-back Mathers then put Riley in at the corner with Jarrod Sammut adding the first of his six successful goals to put the Wildcats ahead for the first time.

Riley, who scored 120 tries in 180 Wolves appearances prior to joining Wakefield on loan in March, had only touched down twice for the Wildcats in Super League before his return to the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Washbrook crashed over on 19 minutes before Sammut put a kick through for Paul McShane to link up with Riley for his second effort.

Mathers then fumbled an O'Brien kick to gift Monaghan his 22nd Super League try of the season with Bridge adding the extras to reduce the margin to six points.

The Wire went close to cutting the deficit further before half-time as Bridge almost put Gene Ormsby through.

Eventually Evans put the hosts back to within two points of Wakefield with his second try after the interval, only for a Keinhorst break and quick hands from Ali Lauitiiti and Reece Lyne to put Riley in for his third try.

Ratchford collected his own chip-kick and scored near the posts before adding the extras to again put the visitors under pressure at 22-20.

On the hour Tim Smith put Keinhorst in for Wakefield's fifth try with a neat grubber kick and Sammut slotted a penalty to open an eight-point lead after a dangerous tackle by Paul Wood and Richie Myler on Andy Raleigh.

However, with 10 minutes remaining Atkins collected a Ratchford kick to again cut the gap to two points, but quickfire tries from Mathers and Scruton made the game safe.

Warrington Wolves coach Tony Smith:

"Chris has been on loan at Wakefield all year and it would have been silly and unfair for him not to play.

"He's not scored that many for a long time but took his chances and was in a rich vein of form. He can have his spoils today."

"We looked lazy in some areas and off the pace. There is a bit of work today with our defence."

Wakefield coach James Webster:

"Chris thought he may not be able to play and did not train much during the week and what a coach Tony is that he didn't stop him playing.

"Chris is still a Warrington player but if he wants to come and they allow it I'd take him permanently.

"It was a great win especially after last week. It's always tough at Warrington especially with all the ball they had. I'm extremely pleased because scoring points has been a bit of a problem."

Sunday's line-ups

Warrington: Russell; Ormsby, Monaghan, Atkins, Evans; Bridge, O'Brien; Hill, Higham, Harrison, Westwood, Currie, Ratchford.

Replacements: Myler, Wood, England, Laithwaite.

Wakefield: Mathers; Owen, Lyne, Keinhorst, Riley; Sammut, Smith; Raleigh, McShane, Scruton, Gilmour, Kirmond, Washbrook.

Replacements: Lauitiiti, Moore, Tautai, Wildie.

Referee: Tim Roby

Attendance: 9,252