Warrington Wolves ... 23
vs
Gateshead Thunder ... 19
|
Warrington Wolves ... 23 |
vs |
Gateshead Thunder ... 19 |
|
Attendance: 4,919
Referee: Steve Nicholson
Half Time: 4 - 12
Penalty Count: 5 - 17
Wolves |
Thunder |
|
1. Lee Penny 2. Jason Roach 4. Toa Kohe-Love 17. Alan Hunte 5. Mark Forster 19. John Duffy 7. Lee Briers 8. Mark Hilton 9. Danny Farrar (C) 10. Danny Nutley 12. Steve McCurrie 13. Ian Knott 23. Mike Wainwright Subs: 11. Simon Gillies (Not used) 15. Dean Hangar 16. Gary Chambers 18. Dean Busby Tries: Roach (24, 45 mins) Wainwright Hunte Forster (79 mins) Goals: Briers Drop Goals: Briers |
1. Ben Sammut 5. Ian Herron 15. David Maiden 4. Craig Simon 2. Matt Daylight 6. Will Robinson 7. Willie Peters 8. Danny Lee 9. Kerrod Walters (C) 10. Luke Felsch 12. Andrew Hick 15. David Maiden 18. Sean Allwood Subs: 11. Craig Wilson 13. Tony Grimaldi 14. Steve Collins 21. Richard Allwood Tries: Daylight Maiden Felsch Goals: Ian Herron 3 |
In stark contrast to sunny Salford on Friday, the Bank Holiday Monday in Warrington was dour and wet. In conditions like these you rarely get a flowing game of top of the field rugby, the first half certainly proved this out. Slippy and wet conditions are a great leveller and the debut of Gateshead Thunder at Wilderpsool had proved in their first game against Leeds that they can play well in these conditions.
Being unlucky against Leeds and then Saints and finally picking up their first win over the other new side Wakefield on Monday hasn't been the best start for Shane Richardsons latest venture. The Wolves were without Jon Roper with a hamstring pull, Mike Wainwright stepped back into the loose forward role and John Duffy picked up his first start this year in place of Scott Wilson, who failed a late injury test.
As predicted the weather played its slippy role and both teams kicked and played for possession and field position. A tight first quarter was seen out with both sides putting pressure on the opposition line.
Herron broke the duck with a penalty and put the Thunder ahead with a twenty metre goal (0 - 2).
The Wolves were starting to take the lead and turned decent pressure into points when they shifted the ball wide for Roach to squeeze in at the corner. Briers was off the pitch with a head injury so Knott stepped up but couldn't convert (4 - 2).
The Thunders first try came against play. The Wolves were moving the ball well up the pitch. The ball went out wide and was fumbled. Daylight, true to his name, rushed through picked up the ball and streaked 40 metres for a try. Herron's kicking style drew 'Wolf Whistles' from the Fletcher Street end, but the kick was good (4 - 8).
The Wolves could be forgiven for letting their heads drop slightly. More so when a ludicrous decision by the linesman gifted the Thunder a good half time lead. The Gateshead side had made their way down field and scrum half Willie Peters put a big kick into the left corner. Forster jumped and was taken out, the ball bounced and was then batted forward by a Thunder player for Maiden to dive on it for a try that stunned the crowd. Herron didn't make the conversion for some kind of justice but the damage was done (4 - 12).
A fightback was required, the Wolves were 8 points down, a good lead but not beyond the home sides reach.
Wainwright, back on track and playing well, ended a great handling move. The ball was worked well down field and then shifted wide to the Gym side. Hunte took the ball and crossed the line with two defenders before hooking the ball back to the supporting loose forward who duly touched down in the corner. Briers missed a difficult conversion but the Wolves seem to be back (8 - 12).
The elation was short lived as Gateshead hit back with a try from Luke Felsch which Herron duly added to. The Thunder were now firmly in the driving seat and setup a great battle for the points (8 - 18).
As the Wolves kicked off the ball rebounded off a Gateshead players leg and came flying back over the half way line, Penny cleaned up. The home side, egged on by the fans who wanted more than they had previously seen, stormed down the field and pushed for the scoreboard corner. Kohe-Love took the ball 15 metres out and headed in field, drawing both winger and centre, he then simply popped the ball out to the supporting Roach who was clear by miles to go in at the corner for his second brace in sucession. Briers must have left his kicking boots at home as the touchline conversion missed (12 - 18).
Smelling victory and with the Thunder on the back foot the Wolves pressed on. Pressure told as a penalty 15 metres out and straight in front of the sticks gave Briers his first and only goal of the day to bring the Wolves within a score (14 - 18).
Continued pressure saw a similar situation, but this time it was close but no cigar. Last tackle and Lee Briers, sporting a bandaged head, took the ball and put a towering kick over to the gym side. In times like these you need a game breaker with experience, in this case that mans name was Alan Hunte. The big centre out jumped the would be defenders and landed a deserved and well taken try. Briers was wide again, I bet the young half-back was willing for tries nearer to the post at this stage, never mind all even (18 - 18).
With more vocal support the Wolves were egged on again and another good passage of play saw them close to the line. Close enough that is for Lee Briers to pop over a nice drop goal and give the Wolves a deserved lead (19 - 18).
Disaster nearly struck as from the kick-off the Wolves seem to fumble the ball near the line and Gateshead capitalise and go straight over to swing back the lead. After consultation with the linesman Craig Wilson was adjudged to have knocked on over the line for a real heartbreaker of a decision for the small band of travelling fans.
The game was well and truly over as that man Kohe-Love bust a tackle and streaked fully 50 metres before being hauled down near the line. A quick play of the ball caught out the returning Thunder defence and Alan Hunte put Mark Forster in to seal the game and a perfect start to the season (23 - 18).
Quotes:
"I thought we had done enough to win. Leading 12-4 and 18-8, we probably should have won but we were on the end of a horrendous penalty count and that probably cost us the game."
"I think the penalties went 17-5 against us. We dug in and defended quite well but a few calls went against us. I will be looking at the video but I'm not happy with some of the referee's decisions." - Shaun McRae - Coach of Gateshead Thunder.
"It shows the spirit in the side to stay in there when it got tough. When we trailed at half-time, we knew it was important to get the first try in the second half and when it came it gave us the confidence to win the game." - Lee Briers - Wolves scrum half.