WOLVES just about kept their Grand Final dreams alive.

For however bad Warrington were in the first half, Widnes deserved equal credit for putting the hosts immediately on the back foot.

Kevin Brown was in the sort of the form that justified his Dream Team inclusion, twice finding just enough space to slot Paddy Flynn through – however controversial the award of his second try following numerous video replays.

Wolves were guilty of clocking up the unforced errors, though, with the ever-reliable Higham spilling the ball on more than one occasion and Richie Myler’s fumble from a goal-line drop out summing up the first half an hour.

A serious of missed tackles led to Rhys Hanbury adding the third and with Danny Tickle’s adding another conversion, that prospect of another Grand Final outing was fading fast.

But before Brown could add a drop goal, ultimately the last time Vikings would trouble the scoreboard, it was a man who was not named in the competition’s select who was troubling Denis Betts’ side.

The Myler, Chris Bridge and Joel Monaghan combination worked to send the latter in at the corner, with former Vikings man Myler making a superb dive pass in the build up.

Super League top try-scorer Monaghan would add two more after the break to complete his hat-trick and bring his total tally up to 35 for the season so far.

But the score, arguably Wolves’ first meaningful foray in the Widnes half, before the interval was the game-changer, the one sending Tony Smith’s side in with their tails up.

At 6-19 when they appeared for the second half, it took the home side only 16 minutes to fully complete the turnaround.

Monaghan, perhaps inspired by his brother Michael and compatriot Trent Waterhouse’s last outings at The Halliwell Jones Stadium, was again the beneficiary of Bridge offloads.

While Monaghan clocked up the points, it was Bridge who conjured up a man-of-the-match performance.

The Australian’s two second half efforts sandwiched a Rhys Evans try, this time Gareth O’Brien the provider, as Wolves did enough to preserve their three-point lead despite the loss of full back Matty Russell.

MATCH FACTS

Super League play-offs, Saturday, September 20

Warrington Wolves...22 Widnes Vikings...19

Warrington Wolves: Matty Russell; Joel Monaghan, Chris Bridge, Ryan Atkins, Rhys Evans; Gareth O’Brien, Richie Myler; Chris Hill, Micky Higham, Ben Harrison, James
Laithwaite, Trent Waterhouse, Stefan Ratchford. Subs: Michael Monaghan, Roy Asotasi, Ben
Currie, Anthony England.

Widnes Vikings: Rhys Hanbury; Paddy Flynn, Chris Dean, Cameron Phelps, Patrick Ah Van; Kevin Brown, Joe Mellor; Eamon O’Carroll, Jon Clarke, Hep Cahill, Danny Galea, Danny Tickle, Macgraff Leuluai. Subs: Willie Isa, Phil Joseph, Lloyd White,
Alex Gerrard.

Scoring: Flynn try, 4mins, Tickle goal, 0-6; Flynn try, 9mins, Tickle goal, 0-12; Hanbury
try, 29mins, Tickle goal, 0-18; Joel Monaghan try, 35mins, Ratchford goal, 6-18;
Brown drop goal, 39mins, 6-19; Joel Monaghan try, 44mins, Ratchford goal, 12-19; R
Evans try, 48mins, 16-19; Joel Monaghan
try, 56mins, Ratchford goal, 22-19.

Half time: 6-19

Referee: Ben Thaler

Penalties: Wolves 9 Vikings 4

Attendance: 7,229

Top man: Chris Bridge