As St Helens climb the Super League table after a poor start to the season, the Warrington Wolves are tumbling in the opposite direction on the back of five losses in their least six outings, most recently against struggling sides from over the Pennines in the Castleford Tigers and Leeds Rhinos.
A place in the top three was up for grabs for the winners, Saints with a chance to jump ahead of the Wolves, the Wolves seeking to get closer to the Catalans Dragons ahead of their game tomorrow against Huddersfield.
Recent poor form from the hosts meant that the bookies had installed the visitors as favourites, handicapping their eight points on the coupon.
Stephan Ratchford opened the scoring for the Wolves with a two-point penalty after Saints were adjudged offside as they tried to scramble back.
But it was Saints who got the first four-pointer with Mark Percival the beneficiary of a Wolves defensive mix-up as he took a fast pass and shrugged off two tackles to drop over the line. Percival added the conversion for a 6-2 lead.
Warrington were back on level terms on twenty-four as Matty Ashton dove in at the corner off a miss-out pass. Ratchford was just wide with his conversion attempt.
On twenty-seven Saints were back in front as James Bell ultimately benefitted from a clear forward pass as Saints passing ripped apart the Wolves defence. Percival was on target with the boot for 12-6, a lead which Saints would carry to the interval.
It was the best of starts to the second half for Warrington as Ashton jumped to intercept a wayward Jack Welsby pass and sprint ninety metres to score under the sticks to make the Ratchford goal a formality to again level the score.
On forty-eight Ratchford added another penalty goal after Saints were offside thirty from their own line. The Wolves back into the lead.
Warrington were in again for another ninety metre try on fifty-three with Matt Dufty supporting Ratchford to go in from fifty metres on the sprint, diving over under the sticks. Ratchford hit the mark again and the Wolves had an eight-point buffer.
A one-two between Jonny Lomax and Welsby on the hour mark saw Saints back in under the sticks with a well worked short range Lomax try. Percival hit the mark, Warrington’s lead back down to just two points.
Thirteen from time the Saints were back in front with Lewis Dodd taking a superb offload from Welsby to drag two tacklers over the line from ten metres out. Percival added a fourth goal of the night for 24-20.
Warrington had just over ten minutes to avoid another defeat.
Saints redoubled their effort and ensured that the game was played in the Saints half, a Warrington defensive error from Clarke finally sounding the end to the Wolves challenge.
A nailbiter of a game from the first whistle to the final hooter, the lead changing hands on three occasions, but it was the Saints who took the points and entered the top three for the first time in 2023, the Wolves continuing their slide down the table and looking over their shoulders at those teams looking to usurp them in the play-off places.
Warrington Wolves: Dufty (T), Russell, Minikin, Ratchford (4G), Ashton (2T), Mata’utia, Drinkwater, Dudson, Clark, Vaughan, Currie, Whitehead, Philbin. Subs: Walker, Bullock, Holroyd, Green. 18th Man: Wrench.
St Helens: Welsby, Hopoate, Hurrell, Percival (T, 4G), Bennison, Lomax (T), Dodd (T), Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Mata’utia, Bell (T), Knowles. Subs: Lussick, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Paasi, Delaney. 18th Man: Davies.
Half-Time: 6-12.
Full-Time: 20-24.
Score Progression: 2-0, 2-4, 2-6, 6-6, 6-10, 6-12 : HT: 10-12, 12-12, 14-12, 18-12, 20-12, 20-16, 20-18, 20-22, 20-24 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: Warrington – St Helens – Square – St Helens – Square – Warrington – St Helens.
Referee: Jack Smith.
