Declan Patton’s kicking game played a great part in helping Warrington Wolves to their first win of the season tonight, as they overcame Leeds Rhinos 25-14 at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
Warrington were fortunate in the first minute of the game, when Ben Westwood was sinbinned for an illegal challenge on Leeds star Liam Sutcliffe after Sutcliffe had kicked downfield.
Sutcliffe was concussed and didn’t return to the field, and Westwood is likely to face a difficult time at the RFL disciplinary panel on Tuesday.
Tom Briscoe scored the opening try for Leeds after two minutes, but Ashton Golding couldn’t add the conversion.
Ashton Sims was then put on report for a suspected stamping on Adam Cuthbertson, but the Wolves took the lead when Ryan Atkins scored a try in the left corner from a Declan Patton kick. Patton’s goal made it 6-4 and from that point Warrington would never be behind.
Atkins scored his second on 30 minutes from a great bomb by Kurt Gidley, with Patton goaling again for a 12-4 interval lead.
And Warrington, with Patton’s kicking game outstanding, put Leeds under more pressure early in the second half, when Tom Lineham scored on the left for Patton to convert again to make it 18-4.
The Rhinos fought back valiantly with tries from Matt Parcell and Joel Moon, with Kallum Watkins converting the second as the game was finely balanced at 18-14.
The Wolves were in no mood to concede any more tries, however, and when Kurt Gidley touched down, for Patton to convert, the margin was ten points, and Patton rounded off a magnificent display with a field-goal just before the final hooter.
Warrington: Stefan Ratchford, Matty Russell, Toby King, Ryan Atkins, Tom Lineham, Declan Patton, Kurt Gidley, Chris Hill, Daryl Clark, Ashton Sims, Ben Westwood, Jack Hughes, Joe Westerman; Subs: Rhys Evans, Brad Dwyer, George King, Joe Philbin
Leeds: Ashton Golding, Tom Briscoe, Kallum Watkins, Jimmy Keinhorst, Ryan Hall, Danny McGuire (C), Joel Moon, 17 Mitch Garbutt, Rob Burrow, Adam Cuthbertson, Carl Ablett, Liam Sutcliffe, Jamie Jones-Buchanan; Subs (all used): Matt Parcell, Anthony Mullally, Brett Delaney, Josh Walters.
A full match report and photos from this game will feature in Monday’s edition of League Express