FULL TIME: Warrington Wolves 12 Wigan Warriors 20 (From This Is Cheshire)

FULL TIME: Warrington Wolves 12 Wigan Warriors 20

9:28pm Wednesday 27th January 2010

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WOLVES will go into the new season on the back of a home defeat to fierce rivals Wigan Warriors.

Although it was not the result Wolves fans would have liked, Tony Smith will have got plenty out of this Paul Wood Testimonial game in front of a 4,622 ‘gate’ on a bitterly cold night.

Wood deservedly received the man of the match honour for a typically high energy display on his big night, while Louis Anderson also shone in the pack.

All of Smith’s generals spent time off the field to see how the team would cope without them, with players rotating through various positions to work on combinations for the season ahead.

And Wolves finished a tough test looking strong, testament to their fitness especially as Wigan rotated an extra three substitutes than the home side.

Another plus was no apparent injuries ahead of the February 7 start against Harlequins.

Wigan sealed the win three minutes from time.

Sam Tomkins, who had looked dangerous throughout, slipped Harrison Hansen over down the middle and Pat Richards tagged on the extras.

The result might have been different if Wolves had taken some of the first half chances they created.

Wolves got off to a flyer with a third minute try from skipper Adrian Morley, converted by Lee Briers.

That came from Wolves’ first attack, following a knock on from Cameron Phelps and a penalty for interference.

Wigan pulled four points back when former Wolves centre Martin Gleeson touched down Sean O’Loughlin’s deflected kick in the 16th minute.

Wolves had kept Wigan out for four successive sets before the pressure finally told.

Two minutes later Wigan went ahead.

Sam Tomkins made the initial break, stopped by Chris Bridge back-tracking, but the ball was quickly shifted wide for Joel Tomkins to put Amos Roberts over.

With Pat Richards missing the conversion again, Wigan held a slender 8-6 lead.

The trademark high kick over the try line from Briers for Matt King to pluck from the air almost paid off in the 25th minute but the ensuing scramble ended with a knock on.

A rampaging charge over 30 metres from Louis Anderson ended a metre short of jackpot in the 33rd minute before play broke down.

And Garreth Carvell picked the ball from his boot laces after a charge down but he was hauled down two metres away from the whitewash as Wolves ended the half on top.

First chance of the second half fell to Wigan from Sam Tomkins grubber kicking beyond Mathers but Chris Riley was on hand to kick the ball dead.

From the drop out, Wolves did well to hold stand off Tomkins up over the line from his sudden dart but Wigan made their pressure tell moments later.

Wolves were caught out at a play-the-ball as Lee Mossop crashed over from first receiver close enough to the posts for Richards to add his first conversion and put Wigan 14-6 ahead with 52 minutes gone.

Chris Bridge produced a lovely pass out of the back door for Chris Riley to hare over in the 67th minute, with Briers’ towering touchline conversion reducing the deficit to two points.

Wolves: Richie Mathers; Chris Riley, Chris Bridge, Ryan Atkins, Matt King; Lee Briers, Richie Myler; Adrian Morley, Michael Monaghan, Paul Wood, Ben Westwood, Louis Anderson, Ben Harrison. Subs: Garreth Carvell, Mickey Higham, Simon Grix, Vinnie Anderson, David Solomona, Lee Mitchell.

Warriors: Cameron Phelps; Amos Roberts, Martin Gleeson, George Carmont, Pat Richards; Sam Tomkins, Thomas Leuluai, Stuart Fielden, Mark Riddell, Eamonn O'Carroll, Harrison Hansen, Joel Tomkins, Sean O'Loughlin, Iafata Paleaaesina, Andy Coley, Paul Deacon, Lee Mossop, Darrell Goulding, Karl Pryce, Stuart Howarth, Paul Prescott.

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