A YOUNG Warrington Wolves team did themselves proud in a narrow 19-18 defeat to Wigan Warriors.
In a dress rehearsal for next weekend’s Challenge Cup final at Wembley, the two sides took different approaches to the game – Warrington Wolves resting several of their first-team stars, while Wigan played a much stronger side.
They might live to regret that, centre Adam Keighran seeing red for a high shot which will almost certainly rule him out of the cup final, and Tyler Dupree may also be sweating over his availability.
Despite the defeat, Sam Burgess will have taken positives from the game which Warrington started in dream fashion, leading 12-0 early on.
Man of the match Arron Lindop scored an early try and Josh Drinkwater, one of few experienced names in the Wolves line-up, then chased and touched down his own short kick close to the line.
Warrington Wolves handed debuts to Cai Taylor-Wray, Nolan Tupaea and Jake Thewlis and they rose to the occasion.
Wigan started fighting back when Junior Nsemba barged through for his third try in as many games, and then Wigan levelled when Liam Marshall finished superbly in the corner from Harry Smith’s pass.
Bevan French’s break then set up Kruise Leeming to put Wigan in front, and Smith’s drop goal made it 19-12.
But after Keighran’s moment of madness, a shoulder charge on Lindop, with 10 minutes to go Warrington had some hope of a comeback.
Drinkwater’s kick set up half-back partner Stefan Ratchford with a few minutes left to get Warrington Wolves back within a point, but Wigan saw the game out to win.
After the game Head Coach Sam Burgess said despite not getting the two points it felt like a victory after watching his young guns almost topple a near-full-strength Wigan.
Warrington Wolves: Taylor-Wray, Lindop, Wrench, Tai, Thewlis, Ratchford, Drinkwater, Bullock, Powell, Wood, Holroyd, Tupaea, Whitehead. Interchanges: Musgrove, Green, Nicholson, Hartill.
Wigan: Hampshire, Douglas, Keighran, Eckersley, Marshall, French, Smith, Havard, O’Neill, Byrn, Nsemba, Walters, Ellis. Interchanges: Mago, Leeming, Dupree, Hill
Look at what it means to him 😁
Arron Lindop opened the scoring for @WarringtonRLFC 🐺#SuperLeague pic.twitter.com/H0Ho3Z8ZYR
— Betfred Super League (@SuperLeague) June 1, 2024
You did us proud lads 👏 Thank you for your support this afternoon, Wire fans pic.twitter.com/9csw8CyzS2
— Warrington Wolves (@WarringtonRLFC) June 1, 2024
