Warrington Wolves u19s 28 Wigan Warriors u19s 26

WOLVES sealed their third win on the bounce with victory over Academy League leaders Wigan Warriors at Victoria Park on Friday.

Tries from Declan Kay, two, Morgan Smith, Pat Moran and Jack Johnson sealed the win despite Wigan pulling to within two points five minutes from time.

Under 19s head coach Lee Briers was understandably proud of his troops after suffering a heavy defeat at Wigan last month.

Briers said: “That was a victory for pure guts, determination and a lot of skill; those boys out there became men, they were all, to a man, absolutely superb.

“To go out and produce a performance like that after the heavy defeat we suffered at Wigan five weeks ago is testament to the mental strength that has been instilled into the lads.

“It was a tough physical game but we stood up to the test and nobody could begrudge us getting the win.

“Our forwards laid the platform in attack with some real go forward which allowed our backs to shine whilst in defence they were all like terriers and kept their shape really well.

“The most pleasing aspect is that it shows that we can be really competitive.”

Wolves came into the game on the back of two victories and they were determined to put the hammering they got at Wigan in June behind them and they certainly did as they produced a steely performance to gain a richly deserved win.

Warrington took the lead in the sixth minute when winger Kay made a great read in a tackle as Wigan went to pass the ball and he knocked it up in the air and collected it before racing 50 metres to score wide out on the right.

Eleven minutes later Wolves were awarded a penalty on the Warriors line and after prop forward Daniel Murray had been held just short, hooker Reece Brunt found stand off Smith who stepped round the cover to score at the side of the posts.

Loose forward Harvey Livett added the conversion.

Warriors hit back midway through the half when an error from Wolves gave them possession and scrum half Josh Woods weaved his way through the line to race over at the side of the posts.

Stand off Jake Shorrocks converted but five minutes before the break Livett landed a penalty for Wolves after Wigan had been caught offside to give the home side a 12-6 half time advantage.

Four minutes into the second half good work by the Wigan half backs created space for centre Oliver Gildart to exploit and he slipped a great ball to winger Liam Marshall, who scored in the left corner.

Shorrocks converted superbly from the touchline to level the scores.

However five minutes later a flare up on the half way line at a scrum saw Wolves second row James Jones and Warriors prop forward Joe Bretherton dismissed whilst Wolves centre Toby King and Warriors second row Jake Moore were given yellow cards for their involvement.

It was Wigan who made the most of the extra space on the field when Shorrocks ran the ball on the last tackle and stepped back inside to wrong foot the Wolves defence and score at the left of the posts.

Shorrocks converted his own try but then just before the hour a fine cross field run by Wolves winger David Foggin-Johnston moved his side close to the Warriors line.

After prop forward Daniel Murray had been held just short, a quick play the ball enabled fellow prop forward Moran to power over between the posts. Livett goaled to level the scores once again.

Straight from the restart Livett gave a lovely ball to Foggin-Johnston and he went 40 metres down the left before finding full back Jack Johnson on his inside and he raced 50 metres to score between the posts.

Livett converted but then a 50 metre run down the right from Wigan winger David Thompson stretched the Wolves defence and the ball found Gildart, who put Marshall over in the left corner to reduce the deficit to two points.

Wolves broke down into the Wigan half and the ball was sent along the line to King, who found Kay and his little chip cannoned off his opposite number back into his arms and he scored in the right corner to make the gap six points once again.

Wigan responded five minutes from time when they ran the ball on the last tackle and Gildart somehow managed to squeeze over in the left corner. The conversion from Shorrocks sailed wide to give the Wolves a 28-26 success.

On Friday, Wolves travel to St Helens; kick off 5.30pm at Langtree Park.

Wolves: Jack Johnson; Declan Kay, Toby King, Charlie Phythian, David Foggin-Johnston; Morgan Smith, Harry Reardon; Daniel Murray, Reece Brunt, Pat Moran, Sam Wilde, James Jones, Harvey Livett. Subs: Robert Holroyd, Yoan Veve, Richard Harris, Nathan Ainsworth.