Halifax Blue Sox...30

Warrington Wolves...32

WARRINGTON Wolves turned another corner on Monday.

Only four days after gaining their first home league win of the season against Leeds, the Wolves gained their first away success of the year at The Shay.

Although at times their defence let them down the Wolves showed some clinical finishing power against the Blue Sox and deserved their second win of the Easter period.

The forwards, as against Leeds on Thursday, were impressive with Dean Busby, Danny Nutley and Marty Masella standing out.

Busby capped his hard working performance with his first two tries of the season and Masella got in on the act by scoring his first for the club.

And what a crucial time for Tongan Masella to score it as the Wolves were trailing 24-22 when he struck with 10 minutes to go.

His effort came as a result of a sweet 40-20 kick by Lee Briers, back in the side at stand off after being absent against Leeds due to his brother Brian's funeral.

Briers and half back partner Langer were not at their best but still provided the key plays when they were required. It was Langer's pass which put Busby over for the match winner.

It was a difficult game for back rower Gary Mercer as up until two weeks previous he had been the player/coach of Halifax.

He showed his delight with the result at the end when he gritted his teeth and punched the air in front of the 1,500 or so Wolves fans who had made the trip and were proud of the effort and commitment the Wolves players had put into the game.

Halifax opened the scoring after only three minutes when Adam Hughes stretched out his ball-carrying hand one tackle after full back Alan Hunte had saved a try by stopping full back Stuart Donlan. Danny Tickle goaled.

The Wolves hit back immediately after Toa Kohe-Love snapped up a loose ball. Hunte came into the line out wide and provided the final pass for Busby to dummy his way over from 10 metres. Briers levelled the scores.

Warrington had a rocky period as loose forward Steve Georgallis limped off, Busby went into the blood bin and Masella was yellow-carded for tackling Gavin Clinch after he had kicked the ball.

Tickle banged over the resultant penalty goal from 10m and before Masella returned Wolves winger Rob Smyth caught and then lost Clinch's kick to allow Damian Gibson to pounce and put Halifax 12-6 ahead.

The Wolves regained possession from a scrum on Halifax's 40m line and a powerful drive by Nutley set play up for Kohe-Love to accept Briers' pass, suck in two defenders and off-load out of the tackle to put winger Smyth over in the corner. Briers' touchline conversion made it all square again.

An Ian Sibbit knock on around his own 15m line preceded Clinch's long ball on the last tackle picking out big centre Hughes for a crash over try. Tickle's attempt at goal was successful after bouncing over the bar off an upright for an 18-12 lead.

Warrington started the second half brightly with Sibbit being stopped a yard from the home try line. Briers booted the ball across field for Smyth to catch, twist and touch down in one movement. Briers added the extras.

Halifax weathered a further five-minute storm and scored with their first visit into Warrington territory of the second half when substitute Jamie Bloem shrugged off Mercer and two more defenders on a surge to the line. Tickle's goal restored Halifax's six-point lead.

Clinch stole the ball off Hunte in a three-man tackle and therefore his try from five metres out was not given. From the penalty, the Wolves slipped the ball wide with Sibbit handing on to Hunte so he could race home from 60m for the try of the match.

Briers was unable to convert to leave the Wolves two points behind.

Briers broke the stalemate 10 minutes later with a superb 40-20. From the scrum the Wolves launched themselves at the Blue Sox line and prop Masella came up trumps when he bumped off two tacklers to score with a stretch and put the Wolves ahead for the first time at 26-24.

Four minutes later Langer's superb pass found Busby's angled run and the impressive second rower touched down his second and the match clinching try. Briers' goal gave the Wolves an eight-point cushion.

Never-say-die Halifax continued the fans' nail-biting with Bloem touching down his second try and forcing the Wolves to hang on desperately in the final few moments.

MATCH FACTS

Super League Round Six, Monday, April 16, 2001

Halifax Blue Sox...30 Warrington Wolves...32

SCORERS

Blue Sox: Tries: Hughes (3mins), Gibson (23), Hughes (33), Bloem (51, 78). Goals: Tickle 5 (1 pen).

Wolves: Tries: Busby (6mins, 74), Smyth (27, 44), Hunte (69), Masella (70). Goals: Briers 4.

SCORING RATE: Wolves first: 0-6, 6-6, 6-8, 6-12, 12-12, 12-18, half-time; 18-18, 18-24, 22-24, 26-24, 32-24, 32-30.

PENALTIES: Blue Sox 5, Wolves 5

SCRUMS: Blue Sox 2 Wolves 7

BLUE SOX: Stuart Donlan, Damian Gibson, Adam Hughes, Danny Tickle, Oliver Marns, Daryl Cardis, Cronin Clinch, Brett Goldspinks, Johnny Lawless, Jim Gannon, Shayne McMenemy, Paul Davidson, Marty Moana. Subs used: Jamie Bloem, Andy Hobson. Subs not used: Sean Penkymicz, Danny Halliwell.

WOLVES: Alan Hunte; Rob Smyth, Toa Kohe-Love, Ian Sibbit, Jamie Stenhouse; Lee Briers, Allan Langer; Martin Masella, David Highton, Danny Nutley, Dean Busby, Gary Mercer, Steve Georgallis. Subs used: David Kidwell, Steve McCurrie, Paul Wood. Sub not used: David Alstead.

REFEREE: Peter Taberner

ATTENDANCE: 4,889

CONDITIONS: Cool, dry. Pitch: Firm considering earlier soccer match.