Match Report: Warrington Wolves 37-12 Hull FC

Match Report: Warrington Wolves 37-12 Hull FC

The match report as Hull FC went head-to-head with Warrington Wolves.

Match Report News

Warrington Wolves defeated Hull FC 37-12 in a bruising encounter at Emerald Headingley Stadium this evening.

After Josh Griffin opened the scoring early on, the Wolves took a 19-12 half-time lead after tries from Mike Cooper, Matty Ashton and Jake Mamo.

Blake Austin’s drop goal on the stroke of half-time gave Warrington the momentum to get home and dry in the second half, with tries coming from Mamo, Leilani Latu and Blake Austin for Steve Price’s side.

Team News

Five days on from his first win as Interim Head Coach, Andy Last was forced into making a series of changes for the meeting with Warrington, losing star halfback Marc Sneyd to injury.

Ratu Naulago missed the game through head injury protocols, Joe Cator served his one-match suspension and Gareth Ellis was rested. Chris Satae dropped out of the squad through illness.

There were timely returns for Jake Connor, who slotted into the halves, Ligi Sao and Adam Swift.

Josh Bowden and Kieran Buchanan came into the 17-man squad and started on the bench.

Six Warrington players were stood down for the match due to coronavirus protocols.

Anthony Gelling returned from suspension for Steve Price’s side, but Ben Murdoch-Masila served the final match of his two-game ban.

Latu, Ellis Robson and Ellis Longstaff made their Wire debuts.

The Match

The Airlie Birds opened the scoring with their very first set of the match. After a Gelling fumble, the ball was turned over and some nice Hull hands put Griffin away in the corner. The centre demonstrated some tidy footwork and burrowed his way over the whitewash, despite the best efforts of several Warrington defenders. Jake Connor added the extras from out wide.

After building some pressure following the early try, Warrington got the fruits from their labour with a four-pointer of their own. Cooper was too strong for the Hull defence and snaked out an arm to score underneath the sticks. Ratchford levelled the scores from in front of the sticks.

With a quarter of the game gone, Austin probed Hull FC’s try line defence with a kick, which the Black & Whites failed to deal with. Young fullback Ashton pounced on the loose ball, and Ratchford’s successful conversion gave the Wolves a 12-6 lead.

Hull battled valiantly as Warrington continued to pile on the pressure with a 40/20, and with patience, Andy Last’s side were rewarded with a second try.

Albert Kelly put Tuimavave through a narrow gap in the Warrington defence to stroll in. Connor converted to make it 12-a-piece.

Steve Price’s side came up with an answer just five minutes later, however. Taking advantage of some tired defence in the middle of the field, Mamo sliced through to score with four minutes remaining until half-time. Ratchford added the extras.

With less than a minute remaining on the clock until half-time, Austin took the opportunity to make it a two score game heading in at the interval, with a drop goal from 25 metres out.

HALF-TIME: Warrington Wolves 19-12 Hull FC

Warrington extended their advantage just five minutes into the second half, with Mamo pouncing on a Ben Currie grubber kick in the left corner. Ratchford’s conversion gave the Wolves a strong 25-12 lead.

The two points looked to be heading back to Cheshire when Latu crossed on his Warrington debut. Following a series of repeat sets, the pressure told, and Ratchford’s conversion made it 31-12.

Josh Charnley thought he had scored Warrington’s sixth try of the night with twelve minutes on the clock, but the video referee ruled out the try.

Austin did crown the Wolves’ victory with a sixth try, slicing through some tired Hull defence with two minutes remaining. Ratchford’s kick secured a 100% record on the night, leaving the final score Warrington 37 Hull FC 12.

FULL-TIME: Warrington Wolves 37-12 Hull FC

Squads & Scorers

Hull FC: Jamie Shaul, Bureta Faraimo, Josh Griffin, Carlos Tuimavave, Adam Swift, Albert Kelly, Jake Connor, Ligi Sao, Jordan Johnstone, Jack Brown, Manu Ma’u, Jordan Lane, Brad Fash

Hull FC Interchanges: Josh Bowden, Kieran Buchanan, Mahe Fonua, Danny Houghton

Hull FC Tries: Griffin, Tuimavave

Hull FC Goals: Connor (2/2)

Warrington: Matty Ashton, Tom Lineham, Jake Mamo, Anthony Gelling, Josh Charnley, Blake Austin, Declan Patton, Mike Cooper, Daryl Clark, Leilani Latu, Ben Currie, Toby King, Stefan Ratchford

Warrington Interchanges: Luis Johnson, Ellis Longstaff, Ellis Robson, Danny Walker

Warrington Tries: Cooper, Ashton, Mamo (2), Latu, Austin

Warrington Goals: Ratchford (6/6), Austin (DG)