Struggle highlights importance of pre-season friendlies (From Warrington Guardian)

Struggle highlights importance of pre-season friendlies

Warrington Wolves 26

Salford City Reds 24

WOLVES fans were given a taste of the value of pre-season friendly football in Sunday's mixed home display.

It took Warrington's players until the second half to get their house in order and by that time they were 18-4 down to a much improved Salford team.

After sorting out their troubles Paul Cullen's men patiently established authority and completed their recovery in the dying stages thanks to substitute Toa Kohe-Love's fancy footwork and full back Brent Grose's intuitive support play.

Cullen explained that in the first half Wolves attempted to play expansive football before laying the platform through their forwards.

He added: "We do very well when we're going forward and when we're working quick play-the-balls. We didn't get that because we didn't work hard enough for it and that simply encouraged a very resilient performance from Salford."

In preparation for the season ahead, though, Wolves will have gained more from this game than they would have from a convincing one-sided victory.

The first half lesson that was learnt, the punishment received at the hands of Salford, the players' ability to correct their mistakes and standing firm under the pressure of losing Danny Lima to the sin bin in the second half will all stand Wolves in good stead for Super League X's start at London Broncos on February 13.

Cullen added: "The vibe from the dressing room afterwards was that the players spoke all the way through the game, when we were in trouble, when we were on the ropes, when Salford had all the momentum. The commitment in defence was excellent and we can only build on that."

Cullen praised prop forward Mark Hilton's contribution to leading the team's forward momentum in the second half, when glimpses of the backs' exciting abilities came to light.

Great Britain centre Martin Gleeson, on his Wolves debut, provided the off-load that eventually allowed Ben Westwood to power over and start the second half comeback.

After sucking in the defence he then slipped out a superb one-handed pass for winger Henry Fa'afili to cross.

There was a blip when quiet debut Kiwi Logan Swann and Grose slipped off substitute Gareth Haggerty on his barnstorming run to the line but amends was made.

In the final seven minutes Grose pounced on a Lee Briers kick to reduce the difference to 26-24 and he was on hand for the winner after Kohe-Love was given an all too rare feed to break Salford's line and hearts.

Seventeen-year-old back rower Andy Bracek took his first half try well in response to a hat-trick from Salford full back Karl Fitzpatrick.

Wolves: Brent Grose; Henry Fa'afili, Martin Gleeson, Ben Westwood, Dean Gaskell; Lee Briers, Nat Wood; Danny Lima, Jon Clarke, Mark Hilton, Logan Swann, Mike Wainwright, Simon Grix. Subs used: Graham Appo, Mark Gleeson, Paul Wood, Warren Stevens, Andy Bracek, Steve Pickersgill, Toa Kohe-Love.

Reds: Karl Fitzpatrick; Anthony Stewart, Stuart Littler, Nathan McAvoy, David Hodgson; Cliff Beverley, Luke Robinson; Paul Highton, Malcolm Alker, Sean Rutgerson, Ian Sibbit, Mark Shipway, Tim Jonkers. Subs used: Chris Charles, Kevin McGuiness, Gareth Haggerty, Stuart Dickens, Neil Baynes, Andy Brocklehurst, Andy Coley.

Attendance: 4,323