Wizards go second

WARRINGTON Wizards continued their fine run of form with a very convincing victory over St. Albans Centurions in Conference Three at Wilderspool Stadium to keep the pressure on Hemel Stags at the top of the league table as they moved up to second just one point behind the leaders.
Several quality long distance tries by the Wizards would have caught the eye but it was a fine all-round team performance that paved the way for them to record their sixth win out of seven games despite the best efforts of a Centurions side who kept plugging away right until the end.
The Wizards opened the scoring in the tenth minute when a sweeping passing movement saw halfbacks Graham Healey and Alan Reddecliff combine to find full back Danny Gregory linking into the line and his smart pass put winger Christian Taylor over in the left corner and then eleven minutes later a fine fifty metre break down the middle by Wizards second row Paul Alcock split the Centurions defence and he found centre Mike Stout in support on his outside to score on the left.
Just before the half hour the Wizards increased their lead when Reddecliff found Alcock close to the line to go over under the posts and six minutes later an interception by loose forward Paul Reynolds on his own line so him race fifty metres to put his side on the front foot and three quick play the ball’s created room on the right for second row Craig Woolvine to exploit and score at the side of the posts. Healey landed both conversions to give the Wizards a commanding 20-0 interval advantage.
Three minutes into the second half Wizards went over again when Healey received the ball on the St. Albans twenty metre line and rushed off four defenders to score under the posts; he converted himself and six minutes later a chip through by Healey cannoned off a Centurions defender into Reynolds hands and he scored under the posts with Healey once again adding the conversion.
Almost immediately a superb fifty metre break by Reynolds tore a huge hole in the Centurions defence and he found Healey on his shoulder to race over under the posts and that was soon followed by another Wizards try when substitute Ryan Jones received the ball on the half way line and he broke through the line and raced fifty metres to score under the posts. Healey tagged on the extras to both tries.
The visitors refused to lie down and were rewarded for their never-say-die attitude when on the hour good work close to the Wizards line saw stand off Lewis Dempsey fire a long pass to winger Russ Kelloway who scored in the right corner; Dempsey landed a fine touchline conversion and three minutes later more god work down the right, this time by Centurions substitute Martin Day saw him combine with second row Marcus Shaw to put Kelloway over for his second try.
The Wizards regained their composure and a peach of a pass from full back Danny Gregory put Reynolds over under the posts, Healey goaled to bring up the half century and five minutes from time Gregory jinked his way over for a deserved try which was again converted by Healey to make the final score 56-10 to the high flying Wizards.
The Man of the Match was awarded to Wizards second row Paul Alcock. He was very well supported by Dan Crampton, Graham Healey, Danny Gregory and Paul Reynolds.
After the game Wizards Head Coach Nick Owen said, “I was very impressed by the way we went about our game today. We were not at our best in the first half but we never panicked and we got our rewards in the end. It was a quality all-round effort with the forwards doing the hard yards up front that laid the platform for our backs to shine. Paul Alcock deservedly took the Man of the Match award but I was delighted with the way that Danny Gregory performed at full back; he looked calm and composed and linked into the line well. Credit must go to St. Albans for keeping playing the game the right way and I am certain that they will pick up plenty of wins over the next couple of months.”
The Wizards now travel to reigning Champions Huddersfield Underbank Rangers in Conference Three this coming Saturday afternoon hoping to maintain their fine form.

WIZARDS
Danny Gregory, Craig Middlemore, Mike Stout, Sean Conway, Christian Taylor, Alan Reddecliff, Graham Healey, Dan Crampton, Hayden James, Christian Froggatt, Paul Alcock, Craig Woolvine, Paul Reynolds.
Subs: Warren Ayres, Ryan Jon