FOR those who were able to make the 460-mile round trip to Gillingham it was money and effort well spent.

Wolves were at their breathtaking best, especially in the last 52 minutes when they scored all but 10 of their 82 points in a club record away win against pitiful London Broncos.

If it had been a boxing match, the referee would have stepped in just after half time to put an end to Broncos’ suffering.

They had been pulverised by a relentless arsenal of weaponry, players so committed to showing off their full destructive power individually and as a unit.

There was no stopping Stefan Ratchford and Michael Monaghan, the chief instigators of the basement club’s record ‘home’ defeat at Priestfield Stadium.

Amazing Monaghan had a hand in 10 of the 13 tries that were scored while he was on the field, including the first of his brace that was bagged with his opening touch of the ball.

The Australian dummy half’s direct approach around the ruck area certainly showed his teammates the way forward after what had been a competitive opening 20 minutes.

Impressive long-striding and side-stepping Ratchford followed his lead and was particularly lethal in creating scores for others, on this occasion in the right-centre position and later at half back after making way for Brett Hodgson’s return at full back.

He assisted in six tries, crossed for one himself and banged over 10 conversions for the second week in a row.

When he switched to the more central role, Simon Grix filled the gap and grabbed his debut hat-trick for the club in a final whirlwind 10 minutes of what had been a second-half procession of 54 points.

And what a day to make your 300th appearance for the club.

Loyal soldier Bennie Westwood capped his magnificent milestone moment with a try, following on from his England call-up and the hat-trick he scored in the 68-10 mauling of Salford City Reds.

Broncos boss Tony Rea said his side had been ‘spooked’ by the way Wolves played. They will certainly be haunted for a while.

 

 

INTERESTING NOTES

Ben Westwood’s 300th Wolves appearance n Club record away win, beating the 74-4 at Keighley earlier this year.

15 tries is a club record in an away game.

54 points in one half is a club record in an away game.

Stefan Ratchford was one goal from equalling Brett Hodgson’s club record of 11 in an away match.

Chris Riley’s 99th Wolves try.

 

 

Super League Round 18

Saturday, June 8, 2013

London Broncos...10 Warrington Wolves...82

Broncos: Dan Sarginson; Michael Robertson, James Mendeika, Michael Channing, Kieran Dixon; Michael Witt, Luke Dorn; Scott Wheeldon, Ben Fisher, Tony Clubb, Chris Melling, Chris Bailey, Olsi Krasniqi. Subs: Mark Bryant, Mike Bishay, Antonio Kaufusi, Shane Grady.

Wolves: Brett Hodgson; Joel Monaghan, Stefan Ratchford, Ryan Atkins, Chris Riley; Lee Briers, Richie Myler; Chris Hill, Micky Higham, Paul Wood, Ben Westwood, Simon Grix, Ben Currie. Subs: Adrian Morley, Michael Monaghan, Garreth Carvell, Tyrone McCarthy.

Scoring: Hill try, 9mins, 0-4; Joel Monaghan try, 21mins, Ratchford goal, 0-10; Michael Monaghan try, 29mins, Ratchford goal, 0-16; Myler try, 32mins, Ratchford goal, 0-22; Michael Monaghan try, 36mins, Ratchford goal, 0-28; Dixon try, 40+mins, 4-28; Myler try, 42mins, Ratchford goal, 4-34; Westwood try, 46mins, 4-38; Atkins try, 49mins, Ratchford goal, 4-44; Riley try, 56mins, 4-48; Ratchford try, 59mins, 4-52; Atkins try, 62mins, Ratchford goal, 4-58; Mendeika try, 68mins, Witt goal, 10-58; Grix try, 71mins, Ratchford goal, 10-64; Grix try, 75mins, Ratchford goal, 10-70; Higham try, 78mins, Ratchford goal, 10-76; Grix try, 80+mins, Briers goal, 10-82.

Penalties: Broncos 2 Wolves 10

Referee: Matt Thomason

Attendance: 3,041

Top Man: Stefan Ratchford