by Dave Whalley
WARRINGTON Wolves Reserves got their 2023 campaign off to a winning start when a workmanlike display saw them defeat Salford Red Devils in an entertaining encounter at Victoria Park Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Wolves opened the scoring in the fifth minute; a repeat set saw them put pressure on the Salford line and prop forward Bobby Shingler twisted in the tackle and scored at the side of the posts. Scrum half Leon Hayes converted and then virtually straight from the restart a kick downfield by hooker Aiden Doolan bounced awkwardly for the Salford defence and full back Noah Booth collected before sending Doolan over under the posts. Hayes added the conversion.
Salford hit back just after the midway point of the half when they forced a goal line drop out and on the last tackle substitute Charlie Glover slipped a lovely ball out of the back to centre Sam Haynes and he put winger Nathan Connell over on the left. Full back Billy Walkley converted but then nine minutes later Wolves substitute Joe Bajer was held just short and from the play the ball Doolan’s bullet pass was collected by substitute Lucas Green and he crashed over at the side of the posts. Hayes added the conversion.
Four minutes before the break Doolan chipped the ball into the in-goal area on the last tackle and substitute Jamie Reddecliff reacted quickest to pounce and score at the side of the posts. Hayes converted to make the half time score 24-6 to the Wolves.
Three minutes into the second half the Wolves increased their advantage when a kick on the last tackle from Hayes cannoned off a Red Devils defender and into the arms of Doolan who scored at the side of the posts. Hayes converted and six minutes later a lovely slipped ball from loose forward Tom Whitehead sent full back Noah Booth through a gap and he drew the cover towards him before passing back to Whitehead who scored at the side of the posts. Hayes added the conversion.
The visitors refused to lie down and responded by keeping the ball alive deep into the Wolves half and substitute Jacob Lee forced his way over wide out on the left. Walkley converted but then it was the Wolves turn to go on the attack and on the last tackle the ball was swept along the line to centre Jack Darbyshire and he found winger Jake Thewlis who managed to squeeze over in the right corner.
Salford had the final say ten minutes from time when Connell made a break down the wing and he moved inside before finding Walkley in support to score in the left corner to make the final score 40-16 to the Wolves.
After the game Wolves Reserves Head Coach Ryan O’Brien said, “Overall, I think we can be pleased with that performance. As a team we were very clunky, made too many careless errors and didn’t really hit any sort of rhythm, but our attitude was very good and there were some outstanding individual performances. To win by the score we did and still have so many areas for improvement just shows the potential of this young group of players.”
WOLVES
Noah Booth, Jake Thewlis, Jack Darbyshire, Zac Bardsley-Rowe, Ewan Smith, Lewis Hughes, Leon Hayes, Bobby Shingler, Aiden Doolan, Luke Thomas, Adam Holroyd, Nolan Tupaea, Tom Whitehead.
Subs: Ben Hartill, Jamie Reddecliff, Joe Bajer, Lucas Green, Noah High (18th Man).
Tries
Shingler (5 mins), Doolan (7, 43), Green (32), Reddecliff (36), Whitehead (49), Thewlis (66).
Goals
Hayes 6 from 7
DEVILS
Billy Walkley, Jorge Cabral, George Charnock, Sam Haynes, Nathan Connell, Jack Newbegin, Jack Stevens, Jordan Brown, Kellen Wood, Alex Davidson, Ryan Lannon, Matthew Unsworth, Rhys Davies.
Subs: Mason Phillips, Jacob Lee, Charlie Glover, Lucas Illes, Finley Yates (18th Man).
Tries
Connell (23 mins), Lee (57), Walkley (70).
Goals
Walkley 2 from 3
