WOLVES will be glad to have got this banana skin out of the way on a positive note.

Rovers, with 13 new signings starting to gel and buoyant from a home win against Wigan, fell to the bottom of the table after Sunday’s loss.

But they gave Wolves, disrupted by Ryan Atkins’ late withdrawal due to illness, plenty of scares in a clash that highlights the competitiveness of Super League this year.

Wolves, who defeated Hull KR 40-0 in January’s warm-up game, were severely challenged, especially with Joel Monaghan’s former Canberra Raiders teammate Terry Campese pulling strings as the dominant half back on the pitch.

Campese continually tested the Wolves skipper in a new combination with winger Kevin Penny and it paid off on occasions.

Italian international Josh Mantellato bagged two tries on that side of the field, while Wolves also set out their stall to target the Robins’ right edge – five tries, including Ben Currie’s matchwinner, confirming the point.

Early on, despite Chris Hill being held up over the line in the opening moments, Wolves looked short of ideas close to the Rovers whitewash – perhaps a sign of the team reshuffle that saw Currie replace Atkins at centre and Joe Philbin make his first start as the left-sided back rower.

Although the kicking game was poor again, Stefan Ratchford, returning from a shoulder injury at full back, took a grip and supplied superb passes for tries scored by Matty Russell and Monaghan that contributed – along with Philbin’s first home Super League try – to Wolves turning around 14-12 in front.

Tony Smith’s men improved in the second half but a long-range try started and finished by Gary Wheeler plus a second from Russell, who was dazzling with the ball throughout, could not shake off a Rovers side that had fought back from 20-6 behind to beat Wigan.

There was no scope to take a foot off the gas and it took an offload from George King on his season’s debut to set Ratchford free so that he could send Currie tearing home for a thrilling decisive try six minutes from time.

INTERESTING POINTS

Now 50 years since Hull KR achieved back-to-back league wins in Warrington

Debut Super League start and first home try for Joe Philbin

George King undefeated in his three Warrington Super League games to date

Stefan Ratchford is 8pts away from his career 500

MATCH FACTS

Super League Round 4, Sunday, March 8, 2015

Warrington Wolves...32 Hull Kingston Rovers...24

Wolves: Ratchford; Penny, Monaghan, Currie, Russell; O’Brien, Wheeler; Hill, Clark, Sims, Philbin, Laithwaite, Westwood. Subs: Higham, Asotasi, B Evans, G King.

Rovers: Cockayne; Sio, Goulding, Welham, Mantellato; Campese, Kelly; Walker, Boudebza, Allgood,McCarthy, Blair, Burke. Subs: Green, Horne, Larroyer, Dixon.

Scoring: Mantellato try, 7mins, Mantellato goal, 0-6; Russell try, 21mins, 4-6; Monaghan try, 28mins, Ratchford goal, 10-6; Philbin try, 31mins, 14-6; Mantellato try, 37mins, Mantellato goal, 14-12; Larroyer try, 52mins, Mantellato goal, 14-18; Wheeler try, Ratchford goal, 20-18; Russell try, 63mins, Ratchford goal, 26-18; Horne try, 68mins, Mantellato goal, 26-24; Currie try, 74mins, Ratchford goal, 32-24.

Penalties: Wolves 8 Rovers 6

Sin bin: Sims and McCarthy (18mins, fighting)

Referee: James Child

Attendance: 9,597

Top man: Matty Russell