Wolves claw into semis

Defending champions Warrington returned to the Carnegie Challenge Cup semi-finals with a gripping 26-22 victory against Bradford Bulls at Odsal.

The Wolves led from the start but always seemed to relax once in front, allowing a game Bradford side to keep on battling back. In the end the visitors had to hang on to win a nine-try thriller.

Lee Briers and Ryan Atkins helped Warrington into a 12-0 lead and into total control, but Rikki Sheriffe and Dave Halley reduced the deficit to just two points as the Bulls grew into the game.

Vinnie Anderson's try was quickly cancelled out by Bradford's Chris Nero as the Bulls went in at the break just 18-16 behind, but the Wolves re-grouped and came flying out for the second 40 minutes.

Chris Hicks scored two tries but veteran Steve Menzies ensured the tension would remain right to the end by again making it a four-point game - although Tony Smith's side held out to make the last four in their bid to retain the trophy.

Fast start

Warrington started much the brighter and scored two tries in a one-sided opening 15 minutes of the game, which even led to them showboating such was their dominance.

After Matt Orford's kick was charged down, Warrington gained possession and made the most of it, with David Solomona exchanging passes with Briers, including a neat offload, allowing Briers to wander in under the posts.

Briers was involved again on the quarter-hour as he waited and waited before delivering a perfectly timed pass for the fast-arriving Atkins to steam through on the angle from close range.

The Bulls finally started to get into the game as Warrington took their foot off the gas, and they got on the board on 22 minutes when Sheriffe converted in the corner - and the try stood as video ref Steve Ganson gave Menzies the benefit of the doubt with what looked a knock-on.

Heath L'Estrange produced a fast break from dummy half five minutes later and Halley offered him good support as he gathered the pass and jinked over the line.

Lead restored

With the score at 12-10, the visitors woke up again and restored their eight-point lead when Michael Monaghan threw a dummy and scampered clear before finding Anderson who completed the breakaway try.

Bradford hit back right from the restart though as Warrington dithered and Nero was allowed to walk through two sloppy tackles to cross the whitewash with ease.

Warrington took just two minutes of the second half to get back into their stride, as Mathers outfoxed the Bradford defence with a quick play-the-ball and pass to the blind side to leave Hicks all alone to walk in the score.

Bradford were the main aggressors but for 20 minutes there was no further score, until Hicks struck again with a brilliant diving finish to touch down Monaghan's crafty dab behind, as Warrington moved 26-16 ahead.

The breathing space was short-lived yet again though, as veteran Menzies stepped through tackles and reached over the line four minutes later, and with Warrington's lead cut back down to just four points all the momentum swung back again in favour of the hosts.

Bradford pressed furiously and forced two goal-line drop-outs in the last two minutes, but Warrington held firm and join Leeds, Catalans Dragons and St Helens in the semi-final draw.