Warrington Wolves 26 Wigan Warriors 27

STEFAN Ratchford missed a last-minute penalty from the halfway line as The Wire’s Challenge Cup adventure ended at the quarter final stage.

Dec Patton, who played as a late replacement for the injured Kevin Brown, also missed a last-play drop goal that would have taken the game to golden point as opponents Wigan held on for victory.

The visitors roared out of the traps and took a healthy lead as Joe Burgess crossed twice on Wolves’ right edge.

However, Wolves hit back and Ryan Atkins grabbed a double of his own, first beating Anthony Gelling to Kurt Gidley’s high kick before touching down Patton’s grubber kick to level the scores.

The centre was found wanting at the other end shortly after as he allowed Liam Marshall to wriggle free from his tackle to score his eighth try in three games against Warrington to give the Warriors a half-time lead.

George Williams’ penalty took Wigan into a two-score lead, but Gidley’s short ball found Andre Savelio running the perfect line to bring Wolves back into it again.

Patton kept up his perfect afternoon with the boot with a penalty to level matters, but John Bateman scythed through the Wolves defence to mark his return from injury with a try.

Sam Tomkins’ drop goal looked to win it for Wigan, but Gidley got over for a try to bring Wolves to within a single point.

Burgess then sent the resulting kick off out on the full to give Ratchford the chance to edge Wire ahead.

It drifted wide but Wolves got the ball back from the drop-out, setting up Patton for a drop goal that he put narrowly wide.

Wolves: Ratchford; Dagger, Hughes, Atkins, Lineham; Patton, Gidley; Cooper, Clark, Sims, Philbin, Jullien, Westerman. Subs: Dwyer, G King, Wilde, Savelio.