Warrington Wolves u19 42 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats u19 24

WARRINGTON Wolves Under 19s got their 2015 Academy season up off to a fine start with an impressive victory over a spirited Wakefield Trinity Wildcats side at Victoria Pak Arena on Saturday afternoon.

The game was switched to Saturday from Friday evening due to the weather and both sides treated the supporters to a very entertaining game, with Wakefield playing a full part with an impressive showing but the extra skill and fitness of the young Wolves ensured that they got their campaign off with an excellent win.

The visitors opened the scoring in the third minute when a penalty put them close to the Wolves line and after setting themselves up well centre Jack Lazenby forced his way over wide out on the left.

Full back Max Jowitt converted but Wolves hit back nine minutes later when a beautiful long cut out pass from stand off Morgan Smith close to the line found winger Jack Fox in space to score in the left corner.

Wolves went ahead soon afterwards when good work again from close to the line by Smith saw him pop up out wide and he forced his way over in the right corner and then five minutes later an error by Wildcats gave the Wolves a scrum on the twenty metre line and the ball reached centre Toby King who managed to ground the ball under the posts with four defenders in attendance. Smith added his first conversion of the afternoon.

Just before the half hour mark a great short ball from Smith put second row Sam Wilde through a huge gap and he used brilliant footwork to round the Wildcats full back with ease and race over under the posts.

Smith converted but then four minutes before the break Wakefield got themselves back into the game when a kick to the right corner on the last tackle from stand off Tom Megretton was fumbled by Wolves and winger Judah Mazive pounced to score wide out. Jowitt added the conversion to make the half time score 20-12 in Wolves' favour.

Wolves came out strongly after the break and seven minutes into the half good work from dummy half by hooker Daniel Hirst saw him switch play and go down the blind side and find centre Harvey Livett who squeezed over in the right corner.

Smith converted but again Wildcats refused to lie down and four minutes later a lovely run from scrum half Christian Ackroyd saw him round the Wolves defence and race over at the side of the posts. Jowitt added the conversion.

As the game approached the hour mark some great work by Wolves centre Toby King saw him suck in three defenders before offloading to Smith who put Fox over in the left corner.

Smith converted and then more fine work from Smith this time saw him set King free and he put Hirst over on the left for an unconverted try and then almost immediately a high kick on the last tackle by Smith saw King out jump his opposite number to collect the ball and score at the side of the posts. Smith landed the conversion.

The scoring was completed six minutes from time when a superb 40-metre break by Jowitt split the Wolves defence and he found Megretton in support to score a consolation try at the side of the posts.

Wolves: Jack Johnson; Jack Fox, Harvey Livett, Toby King, Declan Kay; Morgan Smith, Brad Stanway; Daniel Murray, Daniel Hirst, Robert Holroyd, Sam Wilde, James Jones, Reece Brunt. Subs: Andy Philbin, Davey Dixon, Pat Moran, Alex Whalley.

Wildcats: Max Jowitt; Judah Mazive, Liam Senior, Jack Lazenby, Declan Brereton; Tom Megretton, Christian Ackroyd; Jack Teanby, Brad Moules, Frazer Morris, Harry Swan, Jordan Crowther, Kieran Holt. Subs: Sam Blake, Shaun Wooffitt, Luke Powell, Aaron Gledhill.