AIDEN Doolan crossed for two tries as Warrington Wolves Academy moved to the top of the table thanks to a seventh successive win with a 48-12 success against Bradford Bulls Academy.
With two rounds of the regular season remaining, the victory ensures that the young Wire will be in the top four ahead of the end-of-season play-off games.
They did not have things all their own way at Victoria Park though.
Wolves Academy head coach Richard Marshall said: “We knew that we would get some opportunities but felt that we needed to earn that right.
"After a strong start where we built up an 18-0 lead, we just lost our focus and allowed the Bulls a foothold into the game before half time.
"They certainly challenged us and the lads spoke afterwards about how physical the game was.
"Our fitness and skill level told in the end and we played through the middle during the second half to great effect.
"I thought our discipline was good once again and our intent was excellent.
"This has put us in a great position to close out the season on our terms. We will keep working hard until the last minute of the season.”
Jamie Reddecliff, Leon Hayes, Zac Bardsley-Rowe, Ben Hartill, Jack Darbyshire, Josh Lynch and Jake Thewlis all joined Doolan on the try-scoring list, while Hayes kicked five goals and Lewis Hughes one.
Wolves opened the scoring in the fourth minute.
A repeat set plus a ‘set restart’ paid off when a bullet pass on the last tackle from Doolan was collected by Reddecliff who crashed over and Hayes converted.
Six minutes later a great kick into the in-goal area on the last tackle from Ben Tyrer saw Hayes react quickest to collect and touch down in one movement, with Hayes again converting.
Just before the midway point of the half from a scrum a long ball from Thewlis found Doolan and he stepped round three defenders to score another six-pointer.
Around the half-hour mark pressure on the Wolves line by Bulls was rewarded as Myles Lawford broke through to score and George Flanagan Jr added the conversion.
From the restart Wolves forced a Bulls error inside their own 20-metre area and a brilliant short ball from Hayes put centre Zac Bardsley-Rowe over wide out on the left to make the half-time score 22-6 in the Wolves favour.
Three minutes into the second half Bulls got themselves back into the game when a lovely high kick to the corner on the last tackle by Lawford was collected by Ethan Banham to score and Flanagan Jr converted.
Seven minutes later strong carries from substitutes Joe Bajer and Noah High along with second row Lucas Green put Wolves deep into Bulls territory and a quick play-the-ball saw Hartill scoot from dummy half and brush off three defenders to score at the side of the posts. Hayes added the conversion.
Straight from the restart Wolves were back on the attack and a great offload from Green sent Hughes racing away and he found Darbyshire in support, with Hayes converting.
Bulls were reduced to 12 men when winger George Hough was sent off for a high tackle and just after the hour Wolves made the extra man count as slick passing along the line created space out wide for Lynch to cross.
Seven minutes later good hands saw the ball reach Darbyshire and he drew the defender towards him before putting Thewlis over wide out on the right.
With seven minutes remaining Wolves scored their ninth and final try. From a scrum 20 metres out Doolan stepped around several defenders and Hughes converted.
Wolves: Lewis Hughes; Jake Thewlis, Jack Darbyshire, Zac Bardsley-Rowe, Josh Lynch; Ben Tyrer, Leon Hayes; Ashley Barnes, Aiden Doolan, Jamie Reddecliff, Nolan Tupaea, Lucas Green, Sam Marshall. Subs: Joe Bajer, Bobby Shingler, Ben Hartill, Noah High.
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