GUARDIAN VERDICT: Warrington Wolves 33 Bradford Bulls 8 (From This Is Cheshire)

GUARDIAN VERDICT: Warrington Wolves 33 Bradford Bulls 8

10:02am Thursday 18th March 2010 in

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TONY Smith was quick to criticise his team’s first-half performance following the resounding fight-back win against Bradford Bulls on Saturday.

Despite taking Bradford apart in impressive style in the second half, Wolves started the game lacking the cutting edge they needed to break through the visitors’ heroic defending.

Injured half back Lee Briers was watching the action from Smith’s elevated dug out in the North Stand and how his team were in need of his creativity as they repeatedly failed to break down a solid try-line defence.

Fortunately for Smith’s men, when your captain is able to carry the ball through brick walls you always have a chance and Adrian Morley provided the platform for Wolves to open their scoring account.

The Wolves captain was simply outstanding, playing the full 80 minutes.

Smith was also keen to stress that it was the third game in a row that Wolves have been able to ‘nil’ their opponents in the second half.

Matt King said that Smith had a ‘stern word’ at the interval and that must have done the trick, as Wolves looked a different proposition in the second period.

King and Ryan Atkins provided some scintillating attack, the highlight being an end-to-end try straight from a re-start which saw the in-form King break through two tackles and race away to find Atkins in support and whip The Halliwell Jones Stadium crowd into a frenzy.

The left side partnership of King and Atkins looks unstoppable on its day and after only a handful of matches together, there could be even more to look forward to as the pair continue to gel.

It bodes well for Wolves that the three players that have only recently joined the squad look like they have been there for much longer.

Richie Myler and Atkins seem to be linking with their respective partners, while David Solomona’s first match against his former club showed them exactly what they were missing last year when he was stuck on the physio’s table.

His cut-out pass for Atkins’ first try of the season early into the second half was a joy to behold and set Wolves back on the road to victory.

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INTERESTING NOTES

First time Wolves have won five of their first six games in a Super League season.

Ryan Atkins scored his first try for the club.

Matt King added two more tries to make his season tally an impressive six in three games.

It was the first game that Chris Hicks has failed to score at the Halliwell Jones.

Richie Myler scored to make his total five tries in five games.

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engage Super League Round Six

Saturday March 13, 2010

Wolves...33 Bradford Bulls...8

Wolves:

Chris Riley; Chris Hicks, Chris Bridge (4g), Ryan Atkins (2t), Matt King (2t); Simon Grix, Richie Myler (1t); Adrian Morley, Michael Monaghan (1t, 1dg), Garreth Carvell, Ben Westwood, Louis Anderson, Ben Harrison. Subs: Paul Wood, Mickey Higham, David Solomona, Vinnie Anderson.

Bulls:

Dave Halley; Rikki Sheriffe, Paul Sykes (1t), Chris Nero, Stuart Reardon; Brett Kearney, Matt Orford; Nick Scruton, Heath L'Estrange, Andy Lynch (1t), Elliot Whitehead, Glenn Hall, Steve Menzies. Subs: Wayne Godwin, Craig Kopczak, Mike Warrincy, James Donaldson.

Referee:

Steve Ganson

Scoring:

L’Estrange flicks clever reverse pass for the oncoming Lynch to charge over, 24mins, 0-4; Higham steps the line and finds space for the pass to Myler who sprints home, 32 mins, Bridge converts, 6-4; Flat pass from Orford puts Sykes in to twist the ball over his head and touch down, 38mins, 6-8; Visionary pass from Solomona to King allows Atkins to collect out wide and score, 51mins, 10-8; Louis Anderson gets the ball to King in space and he sprints to the line, 61mins, 14-8; Straight from re-start King returns ball and puts Atkins clear on the left to defeat Sykes and Halley before the line, 63mins, Bridge converts, 20-8; Monaghan twisted through several players to score unopposed, 68mins, Bridge converts, 26-8; Monaghan uses space to slot over drop goal, 74mins, 27-8; King leaps high for a Monaghan kick and drops over the line in Sheriffe challenge, 78mins, Bridge converts, 33-8.

Penalties:

Wolves 7 Bulls 6

Attendance:

10,434