Warrington RUFC slip to back-to-back losses

A SHORTAGE of players cannot be used as an excuse for Warrington’s second league defeat in a row, head coach Andy Roberts says.

Despite leading at the break through Steve Pilkington’s try, the visitors succumbed to an away loss at Manchester but salvaged a losing bonus point.

Having returned from the Christmas break fourth in the North One West table, Warrington have now slipped down to eighth.

“We were a couple of players short for this match, but we have no excuses,” Roberts said.

“It was a drab game and we just couldn’t find our usual spark.

“Hopefully, we can return to winning ways on Saturday, when we entertain Carlisle.”

With the freezing conditions taking their toll, the game quickly descended into a dour arm-wrestle.

However, it was Warrington who drew first blood when Tom Wood handed onto debutant Jacob Riley, whose well-judged kick was seized upon by Pilkington and the centre touched down in the corner.

Nathan Beesley had the chance to move Warrington into a more comfortable lead when he hacked on Tom Wood’s kick, but the ball bounced into touch just before he could pick it up and touch down for a try.

The visitors kept their hosts off the scoresheet for the rest of the half, but that changed after the break as prolonged pressure from the sizeable Manchester pack paid off and they crossed to level the scores.

Warrington came close again when Harry Kellett, another youngster making his first-team debut, was hauled down inches short of the line.

It was to be the hosts who got the decisive next score via a penalty and it proved enough to secure the victory.

Warrington welcome Carlisle to Walton Lea Road on Saturday, kick off 2.15pm.

Warrington 2nd 8 Blackburn 2nd 39

WARRINGTON’S seconds were well-beaten by Blackburn at Walton Lea Road on Saturday.

A Ben Dixon penalty yielded their only points of a first half dominated by the visitors, who were comfortably ahead at the break.

Tom McEniff crossed for Warrington’s only try of the game after the break, but it proved little more than a consolation.

Wilmslow u14 12 Warrington u14 15

WARRINGTON’S under 14s defied the bitterly cold weather and a half-time deficit to edge out hosts Wilmslow on Saturday.

The team took a little longer to adapt to the conditions than their hosts and duly conceded two early tries to fall 12-0 behind.

However, they gained a crucial foothold before the break when Jack Whittaker leapt to collect Jack Darbyshire’s kick before putting in a grubber of his own, which was seized upon by Nathan Bass and the winger held off the cover to score.

After the interval, Warrington took over as they capitalised on keeping hold of possession.

Darbyshire scored a superb long-range effort to take them to within two points of the hosts, before a trademark bulldozing effort from Charlie Bancroft edged them ahead and that was enough to seal the victory.

Snowy scenes as Warrington's under 14s take on their Wilmslow counterparts