WIGAN WARRIORS 36 WARRINGTON WOLVES 16
DAVE PARKINSON, The Brick Community Stadium, Sunday

WIGAN ended a perfect season at Academy level with a strong performance which enabled them to dispatch spirited Warrington.

Zak Bielecki scored a hat-trick of tries and Alfie Maden also impressed for the Warriors while skipper Isaac Holdsworth had two excellent stints for the Wolves.

After an early threat from Wigan when Lewis Daniels broke on the left but Sam Dickenson couldn’t hold the inside pass, it was Warrington who took the lead in the seventh minute when Leyton Haddrell went in from dummy-half after a couple of close raids from Isaac Holdsworth and Oliver Bishop. Tommy Rhodes goaled.

Wigan replied on the back of a penalty when Maden kicked left and Bielecki scored by the touchline. Maden couldn’t convert.

Warrington continued to plug away with Holdsworth impressing in the middle and they looked likely to score after 25 minutes when they took play left, but two players hit the same hole and Warrington were penalised.

Nine minutes from the break a Warrington error on their own 20 invited Wigan onto them. Although they didn’t make it count at first, the hosts took advantage on their second set, when Evan Buckley put a great ball right and Conner Oxbury scored at the corner. Maden goaled from the touchline.

A superb break down the middle set Wigan on their way and Buckley took things into his own hands with some direct running at the line. Maden added his second goal.

Tom Farrimond got away down the right but the inside pass found Warrington hands, although Wigan maintained their grip to go in with a 16-6 half-time advantage.

Wigan piled on the pressure at the start of the second half and were rewarded with an attacking scrum after an astute Buckley kick.

Farrimond was held up over the line but two plays later Wigan extended their lead when from a floated Maden pass, Bielecki rose to collect and go in wide out.

Warrington threatened after 49 minutes when in a good movement left, Regan Parkman was hauled down close. 

Then a great defensive stint put the visitors on the front foot, and they made it count when Brady Bottomley forced his way in from close range. Rhodes struck his second goal and Warrington were back in the game.

It was left to Buckley and Maden to open the Warrington defence again in the 57th minute, another accurate pass from the latter setting up the hat-trick for Bielecki.

Maden couldn’t convert, but was on target with his third goal after Wigan went back to back. Dickenson sailed under the posts after 61 minutes following astute work by Joe McGann and a galloping charge and pass from Noah Forster.

Warrington kept their spirit going and were rewarded when Reece Dobbs glided over for their third try from Rhodes’ pass.

Rhodes was called into action with a try-saving tackle when Bielecki roared down the left.

Six minutes from the end, Wigan iced their success when Shea O’Connor was too strong from close range and Maden landed his fourth goal.

GAMESTAR: Alfie Maden had a couple of try assists, was the main field kicker and also struck four goals in a busy display.

GAMEBREAKER: Sam Dickenson’s try on 61 minutes realistically decided this contest.

MATCHFACTS

WARRIORS
  1 Sam Dickenson
  2 Conner Oxbury
  3 Tom Farrimond
  4 Jovi Bentley-Elliott
  5 Zak Bielecki
  6 Alfie Maden
20 Evan Buckley
  8 Shea O’Connor
  9 Joe McGann
10 Noah Forster
11 Lewis Daniels
12 Harrison Pearson
13 Matthew Halton
Subs (all used)
14 Clayton Mayberry
15 Joe Hollins
16 Charlie Jeffrey-Stott
17 Cody Lyons-Ashworth

Tries: Bielecki (16, 45, 57), Oxbury (33), Buckley (35), Dickenson (61), O’Connor (74)
Goals: Maden 4/7

WOLVES
  1 Bailey Lund
  2 Jack Fallon
22 Reece Dobbs
  4 Cameron Cooper
  5 Regan Parkman
  6 Tommy Rhodes
  7 Jack Pendlebury
  8 Isaac Holdsworth
  9 Leyton Haddrell
10 Ed Williams
11 Oliver Bishop
12 Jamie Coop
13 Ethan Holt
Subs (all used)
16 Tom Marshall
20 Ellis Livesey
17 Zak Brand
19 Brady Bottomley

Tries: Haddrell (7), Bottomley (51), Dobbs (65)
Goals: Rhodes 2/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 4-6, 10-6, 16-6; 20-6, 20-12, 24-12, 30-12, 30-16, 36-16

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Warriors: Alfie Maden; Wolves: Isaac Holdsworth

Penalty count: 6-2
Half-time: 16-6
Referee: Josh Pemberton