FOR a spell it looked as if this game was going to slip away from Wolves.

Two tries conceded in the space of 10 minutes early in the second period as a result of some feeble defending saw Wolves, still missing the services of seven injured players, go from 12-6 in front to 18-12 behind.

Then a long-range break from Morgan Escare threatened to pull down the curtains but Wolves were let off the hook when covering defenders closed in on the dangerous Catalans full back and his panicked pass went astray.

Tony Smith’s men were looking highly vulnerable against a side missing star men Todd Carney, Willie Tonga and Thomas Bosc – and it seemed the recent form of letting hard-earned leads slide was about to rear its ugly head again.

But Wolves looked revitalised with the arrival of replacement hooker Brad Dwyer, as they did in the win at Salford two weeks earlier although missing his energy a week previous when the hooker injured his arm during the clash with St Helens.

Direct running started to take effect on Catalans’ big men as nice approach work from Gareth O’Brien brought a second try for Ryan Atkins and then a penalty earned by Dwyer resulted in the impressive Chris Hill dancing between two defenders before racing home from 30 metres.

The four-point lead did not look as though it would be enough and the deciding try when it came eight minutes later was worthy of winning any match.

Gene Ormsby caught a kick with arms raised and as three chasing defenders enclosed him the winger sprung a surprise by releasing a perfect pass for Stefan Ratchford to race away.

As covering scrum half Scott Dureau came across, the Wolves full back handed over to the blossoming Ben Currie, an ever present for Tony Smith’s side this season, to race home from 60 metres to cross for the second time on the night and the 10th time in nine matches.

Star of the show though was Ben Westwood, who ran his blood to water and leaves big shoes to fill when he sits out Sunday’s trip to Huddersfield for a challenge on Ben Pomeroy in the first half.

MATCH FACTS

Warrington Wolves...26 Catalans Dragons...18

Wolves: Stefan Ratchford; Joel Monaghan, Chris Bridge, Ryan Atkins, Gene Ormsby; Gareth O’Brien, Richie Myler; Chris Hill, Daryl Clark, Ashton Sims, Ben Currie, Ben Westwood, Ben Harrison. Subs: Anthony England, James Laithwaite, Brad Dwyer, George King.

Dragons: Morgan Escare; Michael Oldfield, Tony Gigot, Ben Pomeroy, Fouad Yaha; Stan Robin, Scott Dureau; Olivier Elima, Ian Henderson, Remi Casty, Zeb Taia, Elliott Whitehead, Jason Baitieri. Subs: Louis Anderson, Eloi Pelissier, Julian Bousquet, Antoni Maria.

Scoring: Gigot try, 6mins, Dureau conversion, 0-6; Currie try, 24mins, O’Brien conversion, 6-6; Atkins try, 31mins, O’Brien conversion, 12-6; Pelissier try, 49mins, Dureau conversion, 12-12; Whitehead try, 51mins, Dureau conversion, 12-18; Atkins try, 57mins, 16-18; Hill try, 60mins, O’Brien conversion, 22-18; Currie try, 67mins, 26-18.

Penalties: Wolves 7 Dragons 5

Referee: Robert Hicks

Attendance: 8,611

Star man: Ben Westwood

Wolves have not lost at home to Catalans Dragons since 2011

Ben Currie made it 10 tries in nine games with his double against Catalans. His 12 so far in 2015 is already a season’s best, beating the nine he scored last year

Only two Wolves players have started every game this year – Ben Currie and Ben Westwood