Super League: Warrington Wolves 38-20 Leigh Leopards - Ashton treble as Wire win again

Paul Vaughan continued his excellent form for Warrington with a storming front-row showing and try

Matty Ashton's hat-trick ensured Warrington continued their perfect start to the Super League season, beating Leigh for a fifth straight win.

The Wire took control with first-half Josh Drinkwater, Paul Vaughan and Matt Dufty tries in response to Tom Briscoe and Josh Charnley scores for Leigh.

Ashton's second-half treble well and truly took the game away from the Leopards, who had won the last two.

Tom Amone and Zak Hardaker tries showed Leigh's heart with the game gone.

Daryl Powell's Warrington have passed every test put before them this season, and look a formidable prospect even at this early stage.

They now have a platform for the talent of pacy full-back Dufty to build off, although it was his pace from deep opening Leigh up for Drinkwater to slide over.

Prop Vaughan's trademark score - a close-range surge - owed much to the churning out of metres he, Sam Kasiano and Thomas Mikaele in particular have made in this game and this season.

Drinkwater was signed for his creative skills alongside George Williams, and it was a kick which delivered Ratchford's try and a burst of pace beyond the cover which returned the favour for Dufty's touchdown.

Ashton's three finishes were beautifully delivered by slick build-up involving Drinkwater, Williams, Dufty, Ratchford and hooker Danny Walker too.

Leigh showed plenty of spirit despite the relentless nature of Warrington's points scoring, and earned credit for sticking in the contest until the final hooter.

Sharp hands created tries out wide for Briscoe and former Wire winger Charnley, while Amone and Hardaker scores were the result of grinding away as time ticked down.

Leigh head coach Adrian Lam told BBC Radio Manchester:

"I think we were disconnected in several areas tonight. After a couple of really good weeks, that happens and you get that disconnection again. We've got to keep working hard, get back to who we need to be and get a big week in next week before we head up to Hull.

"We didn't build any pressure. Whilst we had enough ball, all silly sorts of things put us under pressure so we didn't get an opportunity to build some pressure.

"Defensively we weren't connected as well, which hurt us in the end."

Warrington: Dufty, J Thewlis, Mata'utia, Ratchford, Ashton; Williams, Drinkwater; Mikaele, Clark, Vaughan, Currie, Nicholson, Kasiano.

Interchanges: Philbin, Walker, Minikin, Thomas.

Leigh: O'Brien; Briscoe, Hardaker, Leutele, Charnley; Mellor, Lam; Amone, Davis, Mulhern, Shorrocks, O'Donnell, Asiata.

Interchanges: Nakubuwai, Seumanufagai, Hughes, Ipape.

Referee: Ben Thaler

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