Warrington go top after convincing win

Coach Andy Roberts praised his side's fitness for a second-half rout after only leading 19-13 at the interval.

“This was another good all-round performance," he said.

“I thought we kicked too much in the early stages, giving Blackburn too much possession, but our defence was exemplary.

“Our superior fitness told in the end and was more than a match against a team that was probably about two-stone-a-man heavier.”

Blackburn dominated early possession but Warrington’s ferocious tackling nullified opposition drives.

The visitors missed two early penalties, Warrington failing with one too, before skipper Hughes opened up the Blackburn defence running hard onto a short ball and into a gap on the half way.

Breaking a couple of tackles He took it to within 10 metres of the try line before putting an intelligent kick inside for fellow front-rower Elliot Johnstone to gather and go over under the posts. Ben Hockenhull converted.

A poor collection from the restart had Warrington defending grimly for the next five minutes but Blackburn could only manage three points from an offside penalty on the 22 metre line.

Blackburn continued their attempts to batter through with their big forwards but got little change from Warrington.

With 20 minutes gone, Warrington’s stalwart defence brought rewards in the shape of spilled ball.

A quick counter attack got the ball to winger Nathan Beesley who scampered deep into Blackburn territory only to be felled 10 metres out.

The referee, however, played advantage and as the ball was transferred back inside for Johnstone to finish, giving Hockenhull an easy conversion.

Blackburn replied with a penalty, and with five minutes to the interval came back to within a single point thanks to an interception try from half way that finished under the Warrington posts.

Warrington bounced back almost immediately and on the stroke of half-time executed a well-rehearsed ploy.

At a lineout on the Blackburn 22, Sean Callander took the ball at the front and handed down to Josh Riley heading for the touchline.

A delayed pass sent winger Steve Pilkington clear and his assist made a try for back row Matt Connelly completed the sequence.

The third quarter began in much the same vein with Blackburn having the better of possession but being unable to do much with it.

Any incursions to the Warrington 22 were strangled and the pressure relieved by some sensible touch kicking which, for the most part turned, the Blackburn wings and pinned them back in their own territory.

With 20 minutes to go the return to number eight of Max Walker heralded a decided change in Warrington’s fortunes.

The juggernaut blasted through the middle from half way, scattering bodies before him and laying the foundation for a try in the corner for Pilkington.

Five minutes later middle row Danny Fleming carved a path through the Blackburn defence from 30 metres out and scored himself. New recruit Darren Norman added the extras.

With Blackburn now reduced to 14 men through injury and beginning to tire, it was stand off Tom Wood, revelling in his new position, who poured further misery on the visitors when an outrageous dummy opened up the defence and gave him a clear run in to the posts.

Norman converted.

Callander scored next, taking the ball cleanly from a line-out on the Blackburn 22 and striding over almost unopposed.

Winger Norman then almost got his name on the score sheet but crossed the dead ball line before he could get the ball down.

Captain Hughes completed the scoring with a try between the posts, rounding off a break wide out by Pilkington. Norman converted.

Warrington seconds won 25-12 at Liverpool Collegiate.

Two Luke Wood penalties gave the visitors a one-point lead at the break, with Liverpool going ahead after a Warrington sin-bin in the second half.

It was again Warrington’s superior fitness that proved the decisive factor. 

Liverpool opened the scoring with an unconverted try but Luke Wood’s two penalties gave Warrington a one-point lead at the interval.

When Warrington suffered a yellow card early in the second half, Liverpool kicked to touch from the ensuing penalty then drove over from the lineout for a converted try.

Rumbustious prop Alex Marland reduced the deficit to a point scoring out wide finishing off a break from back-rower John Evans.

Sam Nichols then took Warrington into the lead with a touchdown under the posts from a powerful pick and drive from five metres out. Wood added the conversion.

With five minutes to go full-back Mark Tickle sealed the game with one of his characteristically irrepressible runs from half way giving Wood an easy conversion.

But after Alex Marland and Sam Nicholls tries, Mark Tickle's run and score sealed the victory.

The thirds were beaten 33-12 as Winnington Park seconds.

Warrington's tries came from Dan Johnstone and Ryan Thompson, the latter converted by Josh Wood.

Winnington's well-rehearsed driving maul was the foundation for their success giving them three tries from lineouts close to the Warrington try-line.

Other Warrington new recruits Adam Cooper and Andrew McLoughlin showed promise in a side that is still settling in.

Warrington finished strongly camping on the Winnington try-line for the last 20 minutes of the game but were unable to cross.