AT the end of the day, Warrington Wolves got what they came to Headingley for.

By hook or by crook, they wanted a win to get their new era off to the right kind of start and they returned with those two points they desperately craved.

However, they did so by the absolute skin of their teeth and it would not be pushing it to say Leeds Rhinos could come away feeling hard done to.

Warrington Guardian:

Matty Ashton and Connor Wrench celebrate the latter's winning try. Picture by PA Wire

Not necessarily about the early red card that made them play the vast majority of the game with 12 men – by the testament already set for contact with the head in the early part of this season, James Bentley’s shot on Gareth Widdop met the criteria for dismissal.

Not only that, but they lost a half-back in Richie Myler shortly afterwards, an outside back in David Fusitu’a at half-time and spent 10 minutes with 11 players following Brad Dwyer’s sin-binning.

For much of the game, though, one could be forgiven for thinking it was Warrington who were in theoretical dire straits given the way the Rhinos piled down the field and generally dominated play.

Warrington Guardian:

Josh Charnley cannot prevent Ash Handley from scoring. Picture by SWPix.com

They quickly identified they could have joy through the middle and they gleefully smashed their visitors with punishing carries, winning contact and allowed dummy-halves Kruise Leeming and Brad Dwyer to cause havoc.

To have the victory snatched away from them in such cruel circumstances felt harsh and they can certainly claim the moral victory.

From a Wire perspective, there are probably more questions than answers simply saying “a win is a win” and moving on is too simplistic a viewpoint.

Yes, even if they had cantered clear rather than snatching it late on they still would have only got two points and they deserve credit for finally rolling up their sleeves and making their advantage count, but taking lessons from this is imperative.

Their edge players on both sides had good games but worries about the size and physicality of the middle unit that have dogged pre-season will not have been appeased on this evidence.

And when they did have Leeds under pressure both with and without the ball, they compounded their efforts with sloppy errors and the concession of cheap penalties.

Put simply, they must be better than this going forward and they no doubt will be as the players get used to the style of play Daryl Powell wants from them.

Patience will be needed and it will likely be a while before we see their best form, but their “get out of jail free” card has been played.

Warrington Guardian:

Daryl Powell salutes the travelling Wire supporters. Picture by SWPix.com