A MONUMENTAL defensive effort from Warrington Wolves helped them overcome deposed league leaders Leeds Rhinos on Friday night.

Tony Smith’s side had shown glimpses of their ability to repel sides for long periods, most notably in pre-season and at Hull FC a month previous.

But it was upon this platform at The Halliwell Jones Stadium that Wolves built a much-deserved winning performance.

Wolves have gone about their business with relative quietness, creeping up Super League to now sit level with Rhinos despite some bruising encounters.

How close Friday was to Wolves’ strongest line up, only Smith knows – but Warrington’s head of coaching and rugby was without several who can throw their name into the hat as first-team regulars.

Skipper Joel Monaghan was the obvious omission, but the hosts were also without Rhys Evans, Gary Wheeler, Ben Harrison, Anthony England, Richie Myler and Simon Grix.

Wolves’ strength-in-depth could be key in this ‘New Era’, but it was playing to their strengths on Friday that eased them over the line against Brian McDermott’s outfit.

Bennie Westwood roused the crowd with a scintillating performance – how much he was buoyed by a man-of-the-match prize of free headphones is irrelevant.

There was only one pair from the sponsors to go around, but that did not stop Ashton Sims and Chris Hill in joining Westwood by leading from the front.

Hill was not phased at the prospect of skippering his teammates in primrose and blue.

When Wolves’ first try arrived on 15 minutes it was by no means against the run of play, nor would anyone deny Kevin Penny was a worthy scorer.

His renaissance this season has been emphatic, and once the Warrington-born winger had hit a gap there was no way young Ashton Golding – in for Zak Hardaker – would stop him crossing.

Wolves turned to another homegrown talent in the build up to the second, Gareth O’Brien’s vision sending Stefan Ratchford between the posts with a grubber.

A large majority of the 10,075 crowd were celebrating before numerous replays were needed to award it, and the former Salford man added his second conversion.

Smith’s side ultimately wrapped up their most notable victory to date when O’Brien fed Ryan Atkins following Kevin Sinfield’s mistake.

Sinfield was handed the opportunity to edge two points closer to a career 4,000-mark after Tom Briscoe’s response, but that was as generous this Wolves side were feeling.

MATCH FACTS

Super League Round 5, Friday, March 13, 2015

Warrington Wolves...18 Leeds Rhinos...6


Wolves: Stefan Ratchford; Kevin Penny, Ben Currie, Ryan Atkins, Matty Russell; Chris Bridge, Gareth O’Brien; Chris Hill, Daryl Clark, Ashton Sims, Joe Philbin, James Laithwaite, Ben Westwood. Subs: Micky Higham, Roy Asotasi, Ben Evans, George King.


Rhinos: Ashton Golding; Tom Briscoe, Kallum Watkins, Joel Moon, Ryan Hall; Kevin Sinfield, Danny McGuire; Adam Cuthbertson, Paul Aiton, Jamie Peacock, Stevie Ward, Carl Ablett, Jamie Jones-Buchanan. Subs: Rob Burrow, Kylie Leuluai, Brett Delaney, Brad Singleton.

Scoring: Penny try, 15mins, Ratchford goal, 6-0; Ratchford try, 33mins, Ratchford goal, 12-0; Atkins try, 57mins, Ratchford goal, 18-0; Briscoe try, 60mins, Sinfield goal, 18-6.

Penalties: Wolves 7 Rhinos 5

Referee: Phil Bentham

Attendance: 10,075

Top man: Ben Westwood

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