Wolves come from behind

Warrington's steady improvement under coach Tony Smith continues, the Wolves moving up to 10th place in the Super League table after scoring an 18-16 win at Hull.

Despite coach Richard Agar fielding an under-strength side, the Airlie Birds had appeared in control during the first half, scoring two tries through Richard Whiting and Jodie Broughton.

They also produced a fine defensive display that, on the whole, blunted the challenge presented by the visitors.

However, having been guilty of numerable handling errors in the opening period, Warrington - who themselves were missing key players - started to make their possession pay in the second period.

Simon Grix followed up a first-half try, while scores from Chris Bridge and - on his 100th appearance - Vinnie Anderson allowed the Wolves to come back and scrape the points.

They made an ill-disciplined start to the match and conceded three penalties in the opening four minutes, the last seeing Garreth Carvell sin-binned.

Danny Tickle could not convert for Hull but by the time Carvell returned to the fray the Airlie Birds were 12-0 ahead.

The first try came in the 12th minute and resulted from Michael Monaghan's intercepted pass.

Whiting booted the ball to the right wing where Mark Calderwood's footballing skills progressed the move - the second rower then diving over the line to touch down.

Inspiration

Tickle kicked the extras and did the same two minutes later after he had proved the inspiration for Hull's second, his pass releasing Broughton on the left-hand flank and leaving the Wolves' defence flailing.

Smith's side appeared listless up until the mid-way point of the first half before, after appearing unlikely to score, they suddenly had points on the board.

Vinnie Anderson was the architect, his offload feeding Grix who then ducked inside to exploit space left by Whiting and touch down.

Bridge converted but there was to be no quickfire repeat score for the visitors, Tickle instead pushing Hull's lead back out to 14-6 with a long-range penalty just past the half-hour.

Tickle found the target once again with another such effort coming as heavy rain fell six minutes into the second half.

Warrington had opportunities to score during this period but poor handling and communication meant they were unable to take them.

One such move after 50 minutes ended when Vinnie Anderson's pass to Bridge deep in Hull territory instead found touch.

Moments later, and with the Wolves by now ascendant, Richard Mathers' kick to Grix in the corner was too long while, following a goal-line drop-out, another move come to nought when Adrian Morley knocked on.

But pressure continued to be applied and Bridge finally scored the Wolves' second after 61 minutes as they exploited an overlap on the right-hand flank.

He could not convert but Warrington were now just a converted try behind.

Momentum

Bridge again missed after Grix scored his second just four minutes later but, although still behind, the match's momentum suggested that that would not be the case for long.

Sure enough, the Wolves turned their two-point deficit into a two-point lead when Vinnie Anderson scored their fifth with eight minutes remaining - Bridge nevertheless missing the conversion once again.

Hull looked to press and had a chance when Chris Riley knocked on in his own half after 75 minutes.

However, Tickle then did the same - Hull's fans nevertheless convinced that Bridge made contact with the pass before the second rower.