WARRINGTON Wolves suffered a humbling 82-0 defeat at the hands of Challenge Cup holders St Helens in the BetFred Super League – but head coach Armani Sharrock is hoping this is the catalyst for better times ahead.
Despite the home side running in 15 unanswered tries at the Totally Wicked Stadium, Sharrock believes her young team will grow from the experience.
She said: “It’s disappointing but you learn a lot from days like today. We need to have a bit more intent and desire. Saints played some good stuff today but a lot of it was on the front foot through effort.
“It’s an area we need to improve on and hopefully today is that catalyst for moving forward.”
A day that started with Ellie Jelves and Abi Johnson celebrating their 50th appearances for the club ended with young winger Rebecca Nixon being stretchered off in the last few minutes after a crusher tackle from Chantelle Crowl that went unpunished by the referee.
Hannah Roberts – on loan from Saints – also limped off at half time with a knee injury sustained in attempting to stop Jodie Cunningham in scoring her second try of the afternoon.
Sharrock said: “It’s great to have players around the club for so long. In the women’s game, 50 appearances is hard to come by but they have turned up season after season, week after week for us.
“They gave a good account of themselves out there today and we are really proud of them achieving that milestone.
“But we have finished then game with a lot of broken bodies and no bench.”
The Saints were ruthless in attack and, aided by the bounce of the ball and some lenient refereeing, had their visitors on the back foot from the outset and were ahead as early as the third minute when winger Rachael Woosey went over in the corner for the first of her three tries.
Cunningham, playing in the centres, was in great form both in creating tries and scoring her brace in a half that saw the Saints score more than a point a minute to go into the break leading 42-0.
The Warrington defence, led by the dependable Abi Latchford and skipper Katie May Williams, was solid enough down the middle but Gaskin and her partner in the halves, Amy Taylor, were clever enough to draw that defence in and leave both flanks exposed on countless occasions.
Tara Jones benefited from a high kick from Taylor then some weak tackling down the left to stretch the lead to 16-0 before Cunningham went over for her first.
Winger Dani McGifford was the next to add her name to the score sheet on 21 minutes, cutting down the left for her first then weaving her way through from inside her own half for her second just moments later.
Another kick from Gaskin hit the post and bounced perfectly for substitute Pip Birchall to touch down before Cunningham dived over in the corner for the home team to end the half on a high.
And there was no respite for the Wire after the break, with Erin McDonald barging over within seconds of the restart then Woosey bagging her second just minutes later.
Paige Travis exposed a huge hole in the Wire defence before McGifford completed her hat-trick and then the bounce from a Taylor high kick beat both full back Grace Wray and Nixon to fall nicely for Zoe Harris to add her name to the scoresheet.
And there was still time for Katie Mottershead to force her way over the line after concerted pressure from the home side and for Woosey to complete her hat-trick after Wire were pinged for a high shot in the final few minutes to complete the rout.
Warrington:
19 Grace Wray FB
2 Abigail Johnston W 50th appearance
36 Hannah Roberts C
33 Albany Coates C
5 Rebecca Nixon W
17 Louise Fellingham SO
7 Charlize Magraw SH
8 Abi Latchford P
26 Ellie Jelves H 50th appearance
10 Grace Burnett P
11 Katie May Williams SR
13 Emily Turner SR
20 Helena Turner LF
Subs
14 Jasmine Wilson
16 Megan Condliffe
34 Lucy Johnson
29 Georgia Bogg
18th player 21 Nicole BarnettSaint Helens:
6 Zoe Harris FB
30 Rachel Woosey W
4 Erin Stott C
13 Jodie Cunningham C
25 Dani McGifford W
21. Amy Taylor SO
7. Faye Gaskin SH
8. Vicky Whitfield P
9. Tara Jones H
16 Darcy Stott P
11 Paige Travis SR
12 Emily Rudge SR
10 Chantelle Crowl LF
Subs
17 Pip Birchall
19 Katie Mottershead
22 Megan Williams
28 Erin McDonald
18th player: Grace Arrowsmith
