Super League: Warrington 6-13 Wigan - Warriors hang on to edge Wire in derby thriller
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Brad O'Neill's first try for Wigan proved a match-winner at the Halliwell Jones
Betfred Super League |
|---|
Warrington (6) 6 |
Try: Nicholson Goal: Ratchford |
Wigan (10) 13 |
Tries: Wardle, O'Neill Goals: Smith 2 Drop-goal: Smith |
Super League leaders Warrington's 100% winning start came to an end as they were edged out by second-placed Wigan in a derby classic at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
First-half tries from Jake Wardle and Brad O'Neill earned the Warriors a 10-0 lead.
Warrington hit back with a converted try from Wigan old boy Matty Nicholson.
But Harry Smith closed the door with an early second-half penalty before taking his team out of reach with a drop goal.
Warrington had two second-half tries chalked off, the second of them less than a minute from time when it was controversially ruled that Greg Minikin had lost control of the ball in touching down.
But Wire would still have needed to score again. Second-placed Wigan were worthy winners on the back of their first-half performance, when they wasted several great chances to have built an even bigger lead, largely down to the slippery rain-sodden ball.
Record night at the Halliwell Jones
On a wet night, the atmosphere created by Warrington's record home Super League crowd of 15,026 meant the Halliwell Jones was bouncing even before Wardle got the game off to an exciting start by sliding in on the left unopposed for his early try.
Smith's conversion hit the post, while the visitors were also hampered by the early loss of Brad Singleton with a worrying leg injury.
But Wigan went 10-0 up when Bevan French cleverly switched the angle of attack with a cross-kick inside, picked out O'Neill and he snaked out an arm to touch down.
Even then, it was only given with the help of the video referee, having initially been earmarked on the field as 'no try' by referee Chris Kendall.
Smith this time added the extras before Wire finally hit back with a break out of nowhere by one of the hosts' Wigan old boys, George Williams.
He broke up yet another Wigan attack before releasing Matty Ashton down the left and, although Warriors got back to halt Matt Dufty, Wire quickly worked the ball right for Nicholson to take on an undermanned defence and score. Stefan Ratchford added the extras.
But, despite an improved second-half effort, Wire never managed another point as Smith's boot edged the visitors clear.
An early second-half penalty was then followed by that one-pointer, which left Wire needing to score twice. And, although Josh Drinkwater and Minikin both thought they had the ball down to score, the Wolves were twice denied by the video referee.
Warrington now face another tough test on Thursday against Super League champions St Helens, while Wigan - who have now won five games in a row - do not play again until Sunday, 23 April when they host pointless bottom club Wakefield.
Warrington coach Daryl Powell:
"I have no idea what the video referee is seeing at the end. That is a try.
"It was a close game but really I don't think it was that close. They deserved to win. The conditions were tough and Wigan played better than us. They dominated territory.
"We'll learn lessons from it. We were in the game but were not near our best. You are never going to go undefeated through a season. We wanted to give our fans a better night but sometimes a team just rocks up and plays better than you.
"We're still in a good place and we'll still be confident rolling into the St Helens game next week."
Wigan coach Matty Peet:
"It was pleasing against a very good Warrington team who challenged us throughout. Our defence had to be at its best.
"Wins are always nice but it is the performances that matter.
"We have a way we want to play, a way we want to evolve that is suited to big games.
"We can see the way we are heading as a team but it's still early days."
Warrington: Dufty; Thewlis, Mata'utia, Ratchford, Ashton; Williams, Drinkwater; Kasiano, Walker, Vaughan, Currie, Nicholson, McGuire.
Interchanges: Clark, Minikin, Russell, Green.
Wigan: French; Miski, King, Wardle, Marshall; Shorrocks, Smith; Singleton, Powell, Byrne, Isa, Farrell, Ellis.
Interchanges: Havard, Mago, Pearce-Paul, O'Neill.
Referee: Chris Kendall