BELOW-PAR Wolves were looking good to overcome numerous setbacks and complete a rescue act at Belle Vue but stumbled in the closing minutes.

Tony Smith’s men trailed 30-6 early in the second half but looked the most likely team to score again after having reduced the arrears to 32-28 with two minutes left.

Kevin Penny was stopped inches short of a winning try by Ben Jones-Bishop, tearing his hamstring in the process.

The winger, hopping on one leg, still attempted to continue defensive duties in Wakefield’s next set which ended with Jones-Bishop touching down a grubber kick for the match-winning try.

Wolves had got themselves back into the game with three tries in seven second-half minutes from Daryl Clark, Kurt Gidley and Matty Russell despite losing the services of a second centre.

Rhys Evans left the field with a shoulder problem, forcing a third reshuffle after Ryan Atkins went off with concussion in the first half while scrum half Stefan Ratchford withdrew from selection on Sunday morning with sickness.

Ben Currie was named at scrum half, but played back row and centre as Joe Westerman mainly paired up with Gidley in the halves and it was the ex-Hull man’s second powerful try in the 69th minute – converted by Super League debutant Morgan Smith - that got Warrington within four points of their hosts.

Clark, whose spectacular solo try in the 47th minute sparked what had seemed an unlikely revival, dropped the ball from a Westerman break when he had 40 metres of daylight in front of him for the chance to put Wire ahead for the first time with nine minutes remaining.

That cost Warrington momentum at a time when they were on top and enjoying a one-man advantage while Wakefield’s Danny Kirmond (trip) and Anthony England (fighting) were in the sin bin alongside Gidley (fighting).

Gutsy Wakefield survived 30 minutes of sin-binnings, with Jones-Bishop being shown a yellow card by Super League debutant referee and ex-Wire winger Chris Campbell for holding down Jordan Cox after a galloping 80-metre charge from a restart.

In the end, Wolves paid the price for an awful start that included two tries conceded from interceptions.

MATCH FACTS:

Wildcats: Max Jowitt; Ben Jones-Bishop, Joe Arundel, Craig Hall, Tom Johnstone; Jacob Miller, Liam Finn; Nick Scruton, Mikey Sio, Mickael Simon, Matty Ashurst, Danny Kirmond, Tinirau Arona. Subs: Scott Anderson, Chris Annakin, Anthony England, Anthony Tupou.

Wolves: Matty Russell; Tom Lineham, Rhys Evans, Ryan Atkins, Kevin Penny; Kurt Gidley, Joe Westerman; Chris Hill, Daryl Clark, Ashton Sims, Benjamin Jullien, Ben Currie, Ben Westwood. Subs: Jordan Cox, Joe Philbin, George King, Morgan Smith.

Scoring: Hall try, 3mins, Finn goal, 6-0; Ashurst try, 7mins, Finn goal, 12-0; Westerman try, 14mins, Gidley goal, 12-6; Hall try, 20mins, Finn goal, 18-6; Johnstone try, 33mins, Finn goal, 24-6; Ashurst try, 44mins, Finn goal, 30-6; Clark try, 48mins, Gidley goal, 30-12; Gidley try, 51mins, Gidley goal, 30-18; Russell try, 54mins, 30-22; Finn penalty, 59mins, 32-22; Westerman try, 70mins, Smith goal, 32-28; Jones-Bishop try, 36-28.

Penalties: Wildcats 6 Wolves 7 Sin bin: Jones-Bishop (53), England (68), Gidley (68), Kirmond (75).

Referee: Chris Campbell Attendance: 5,180 Top man: Joe Westerman

STATS SPOT:

Wire had won their past six away fixtures with Wakefield, the Wildcats’ previous win being 48-22 on February 27, 2009