WARRINGTON Wolves trail at the break in the Challenge Cup semi final despite taking an early lead against Hull KR at Headingley.

Wolves’ start was superb, Gareth O’Brien finding the dead-ball line from the kick off and Ryan Atkins powering over from Stefan Ratchford’s pass after only 74 seconds. O’Brien added the extras from wide out as a bonus.

But then Wolves went into kamikazi mode, three successive penalties and a forward pass from fired-up Ashton Sims allowing Rovers to camp on the Warrington line.

Fumbles by back rowers Kevin Larroyer and Graeme Horne relieved that pressure in a frenetic opening.

Ben Currie was held up short as Wolves turned the tide and a scramble from Richie Myler’s kick resulted in Sam Wilde being prevented from crossing on the last tackle.

Josh Mantellato won a leap in the air to regather Albert Kelly’s high kick but Ben Harrison was perfectly placed to pick up the pieces after the Italian international wingerl’s offload went to ground.

Wolves were forced into a 19th-minute change, Harrison taking a head knock and being replaced by Brad Dwyer who took over at hooker with Daryl Clark switching to loose forward.

But the pace at that stage was being pushed too much and both teams were guilty of too many errors in wet conditions, with a knock-on from Gene Ormsby and a subsequent penalty for a high tackle by Chris Hill being punished by Rovers.

Albert Kelly, Maurice Blair and Kieran Dixon swept the ball wide for Mantellato to squeeze over with a dive into the corner despite the attentions of Ratchford. No conversion was added, but the gap was cut to 6-4 after 25 minutes.

A minute later the Robins were ahead for the first time, Kelly’s kick across field early in the tackle count being plucked from above Ormsby’s head by Ken Sio and the former Parramatta teammate of Wolves new boy Chris Sandow was able to hare home unopposed.

With Mantellato adding the extras, Hull KR led 10-6 and that was improved to a six-point cushion in the 35th minute when Hill was penalised for holding down Kelly and the kick option was taken.

A desperate last-ditch tackle on Wilde prevented a certain Wolves try as Tony Smith’s men looked to get back on level terms by half time.