WILSON RETURN INSPIRED WOLVES TO SIX-TRY BLITZ (From Warrington Guardian)

WILSON RETURN INSPIRED WOLVES TO SIX-TRY BLITZ

London Broncos 18

Warrington Wolves 30

By MIKE PARSONS

JUST 10 days after a cartilage-trim operation stand off Scott Wilson gave Warrington Wolves the missing link as they ran in their fifth victory in seven outings.

Wilson helped scrum half Lee Briers to bring classy centres Toa Kohe-Love and Alan Hunte into the game at The Stoop on Saturday and they responded by running London ragged.

Their razzle-dazzle was in sharp contrast to the week before when dangerous runners Kohe-Love and Hunte saw little of the ball in the defeat to Bradford.

Had Warrington cashed in on all of the team's good attacking work in the capital they could easily have scored more than 50 points.

Warrington always looked capable of scoring. Their passing, running from deep, changing of angles and support play were excellent.

Briers seemed to be comfortable with Wilson back at his side. He played a part in five of Warrington's six tries and had my vote for man of the match. Hooker and captain Danny Farrar pushed him close with a non-stop display.

Warrington made a weakened London outfit look very shabby in defence. The Broncos' squad has its injury worries and probably, judging by their recent displays, had their minds on this weekend's Challenge Cup final.

At times it seemed almost as though Warrington felt sympathy for London's shortfalls. Because until midway through the second period after each try Warrington scored they then squandered possession softly and it allowed London to fire back.

It was only in the final quarter that Warrington made the game safe.

There was heartbreak on his full debut for Andy Leathem. The prop's eye closed-up after a poke in the eye and he withdrew after 24 minutes. More trouble for coach Darryl Van de Velde in the front row with substitute Mark Hilton going off with a shoulder injury two minutes into the second half. For the rest of the game Dean Busby played prop.

A sign that London's players' minds were not on the job came in the second minute. Briers sold a dummy, raced away and sent Hunte in unopposed from 60m. Briers goaled.

Farrar slipped out a fine pass for second rower Steve McCurrie but he failed to hold the ball 10m from the line.

Then Penny failed to play the ball properly on the half way line. Scrum half Glen Air's kick bounced out of Jason Roach's grasp and loose forward Matt Toshack leaped on to the loose ball over the line for a try. Rob Smyth converted.

Warrington's response was instant. Long passes by Wilson and Briers gave Hunte the space to shimmy past his marker and pop up a pass for Penny to go in from 22m. Briers goaled for a 12-6 lead.

London hit Warrington's line and a clever reverse kick by Hammond caught the Wolves napping and full back Tulsen Tollett shot through to beat Wilson to the ball over the line. Smyth's goal levelled the scores.

Warrington took the edge into the second half after continually driving up London's blind side. Hunte's fast handling put Forster over for four points.

Two minutes into the second half London cashed in on a poor Warrington kick. Toshack put Offiah over in the corner and Tollett goaled from the touch line to give London the lead, 18-16, for the first time.

Penny brilliantly caught a high kick a metre from his own line. Warrington moved the ball wide in their own 22m zone with a risky, long Briers pass. The gamble paid off with Kohe-Love breaking away. Wilson took over the move and he fed Roach, who sped away from two defenders to finish off the try of the game.

Penny knocked on straight from a scrum with the try line begging.

The killer try came from a scrum 35m from the London line. Briers whipped the ball wide to Kohe-Love who took on the defence before lobbing a pass out for Roach to fly into the corner. Warrington had the all-important eight-point advantage at 26-18.

Kohe-Love made another break and off-loaded to Wilson in support but he juggled with the ball with the try line in sight and knocked on.

Warrington finished London off when a superbly delayed round-the-man pass by Briers put Kohe-Love through a gaping hole and there was no stopping him from 30m out.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.