Warrington 16
Broughton Park 13

WARRINGTON coach Darren Abram admitted his side’s victory over Broughton Park was not a pretty one, but he was impressed with a ‘dogged performance’.

A try for Jamie Thompson was complemented by the kicking of Pat Roberts as the hosts edged to a three-point win.

“This was not a pretty game, although it did see two excellent tries,” said coach Abram.

“Even so, I was very impressed with the performance of our pack and in the way that our lads dogged it out.”

The pitch was made playable by the efforts of club stalwarts Dave Cunningham and Jon Bennett, allowing Warrington to face the only side to beat them last season.

After early pressure in the Park 22, the Warrington pack released the ball and scrum half Tom Wood fed his back line.

Thompson ran an incisive line to take a short pass and skipped over virtually unopposed. Roberts converted.

Joe Wilson and Matt Connolly ruled the lines, aided by the pin-point throwing of Joel Barker.

The Warrington forwards, invigorated by the return of hooker Paul Thompson, took control of the set scrums, bossing the breakdowns and looking the likelier to score again.

However, the next score came when Park’s centre fed their right winger to go over close to the posts for a converted score.

Warrington came back on the attack and Wood put in a cross kick for Steve Pilkington, where the winger made ground before being forced into touch 10 yards out.

Joe Wilson stole another Park throw and the visitors were penalised for offside at the ensuing ruck allowing Roberts’ kick to regain the lead for Warrington.

Park kicked two penalties to give them the lead, however another Roberts penalty levelled and the trusty kicker slotted again late on for the win.