THE change in conditions could not have been starker, just the way Wolves would have wanted it.

From warm sunshine in Tenerife to freezing temperatures and driving rain in Manchester, The Wire showed they were a team for all seasons…just!

It wasn’t a classic, but this game had a feel of a Challenge Cup tie to it, with a plucky and hard-working Championship side going toe-to-toe with a Super League outfit sprinkled with a smattering of young talent to go with established first-teamers.

Judging by the way the team celebrated Harvey Livett’s post-hooter conversion that won the game, you’d feel there was indeed a place in the next round or two league points at stake.

Rochdale were keen to make an impression and that they did, especially upon Joe Philbin when sub Joe Taira barrelled straight through him to end his game early.

His replacement, Pat Moran, caught the eye with an impressive performance and ran the ball in extremely strongly.

Hornets capitalised on the momentum they had built up, something you could maybe accuse Wolves of not doing in the first half, to allow Miles Greenwood to score the game’s first try, but that only served to wake Wolves up.

The introduction of Daryl Clark naturally gave them more spark out of dummy-half and his trademark dart over the line was followed by a high bomb from Livett ending up in the grateful hands of Matty Blythe to nudge The Wire ahead.

In a game punctuated by handling errors, almost a given in the atrocious conditions, it was a fumble from Jack Johnson that allowed Jake Eccleston to dive over on the half-time hooter for the hosts.

Lewis Palfrey converted both Hornets tries, while Dec Patton’s failure to convert either of his was symptomatic of a difficult afternoon for the young half-back.

Wire began the second period with intensity and you would have expected the two tries they scored shortly after the break to begin a procession.

First Toby King and then Brad Dwyer capitalised on a lack of Hornets concentration, and perhaps a touch of tiredness, to score straight from a scrum and a quick-tap penalty respectively.

However, inkeeping with the cup tie atmosphere, Hornets continued to rumble onwards and it looked as if they would get their deserved reward.

The comeback was on when Rob Massam rose high above Ryan Jones to claim a cross-field kick and touch down and it was complete when Jordan Cella bundled his way over with time running out.

They were denied by a great break from Livett, who sent Kay over with the final play of the match before kicking the toughest of conversions to snatch the victory.

We may learn more about Wolves’ prospects in Wednesday’s friendly against Huddersfield, when Tony Smith is expected to send out his full-strength squad, but we did learn that those expected to step up when injuries set in are more than capable of fighting till the end.