A SECOND-HALF fightback proved in vain for Warrington Wolves’ reserves on Friday evening.

It is now back-to-back defeats for Ryan O’Brien’s side as they fell 22-18 at Wakefield Trinity to leave them sixth in the competition table.

There were returns from injury for the likes of Leon Hayes and Aiden Doolan, who linked up in the halves, and Jack Darbyshire, but a 22-6 deficit ultimately proved too much for The Wire to reel in.

Tries in the final quarter from Darbyshire and Adam Holroyd closed the gap to four points and set up a grandstand finish, but the hosts held on.

“We didn’t start well and failed to control the ruck on either side of the ball throughout the first half,” reserves head coach O’Brien said.

“Credit to the players – they essentially led the half time period themselves, identifying areas where we were performing poorly and what we needed to address them.

“In the second half, we were much better defensively and had more ball in Wakefield’s half, but we just weren’t clinical enough with it to claw back the deficit.”

After Wakefield had taken an early 10-0 lead thanks to tries from Eddie Hunter and Tom Delaney, Wolves got themselves on the board when Sam Marshall reacted quickest to touch down a kick.

However, tries either side of half time from Oliver Pratt and Ellis Roberts put the hosts into what turned out to be a decisive lead despite Wire’s late salvo.

Hayes’ cut-out ball sent Darbyshire over before Holroyd powered across the line with two minutes remaining, but it proved to be too little too late.

The Wire’s next reserves fixture is the final second-string home game of the year against Bradford Bulls at Victoria Park on Saturday, August 5.

Wolves: Jake Thewlis; Dylon Braddish, Jack Darbyshire, Ewan Smith, Frank Sergent; Aiden Doolan, Leon Hayes; Bobby Shingler, Adam Whalley, Luke Thomas, Adam Holroyd, Nolan Tupaea, Tom Whitehead. Subs: Ben Hartill, Jamie Reddecliff, Sam Marshall, Ashley Barnes, Logan Raughter (18th Man).