Sheffield Eagles 16

Warrington Wolves 48

WARRINGTON shone in the Sheffield sun and vastly improved their points difference with one of their highest away league wins in history.

Sheffield, playing their third game in six days, had no answer to scrum half Lee Briers' guile and leading try scorer Toa Kohe-Love's finishing prowess.

Centre Kohe-Love's first hat-trick of his Wolves career took his total try count to 25 and helped to steer the Wolves to their fourth best away league score in 120 years.

Warrington's points haul turned up the heat on fifth and sixth-placed Gateshead and Castleford who's scoring 'for' and 'against' was far superior to Warrington's going into this game.

It was an entertaining Wolves performance. Their willingness to throw the ball around and off-load in tackles ran Sheffield's tired legs ragged.

Even Danny Farrar's absence did not upset the Wolves' rhythm too much as 19-year-old David Highton had a superb game at hooker and made a friend for life in Gary Chambers by setting up the Wolves prop for only his second try of the season.

There were nine tries in total, with Alan Hunte bagging a brace and Briers, Mark Forster and Lee Penny also getting in on the act.

After a scrappy opening 10 minutes Warrington took complete control with four tries in 12 minutes.

The first try in the 14th minute came from a Mike Wainwright off-load, with Chambers carrying on the drive. The prop's quick play-the-ball launched Briers on the warpath and after dummying Kohe-Love he picked out Hunte to barge over.

Four minutes later Wainwright and then Chambers turned in their tackles to find Highton in support. Briers then took over and fed Kohe-Love on an angled run which took the Kiwi over the line. Jon Roper goaled.

Then Forster's 35m line clearance set the Wolves alight again. Wainwright and Ian Knott barged out more yards and this time Briers ignored his teammates, dummied and went alone to cross from 20m out. Roper's conversion made it 16-0.

Briers' second '40-20' put Eagles on the back foot again. Highton darted at the defence and released Chambers who showed a neat side-step to pass full back Dave Watson and then sheer grit and power to take Stephens, Matt Crowther and Jeff Hardy over the line with him to complete his 30m burst. Roper hit the post and was wide from in front of the sticks.

Then unforgivably Warrington took their foot off the gas as the Eagles hit back with two tries in the final six minutes of the half.

Hunte knocked on near his own line and Bright Sodje crossed on the third set of six tackles, ducking under Highton's tackle from close range.

Then the Wolves defenders waited for Watson to make his move with the ball and the Kiwi caught them flat-footed by breaking away. Watson released Crowther in support and he finished off the 70m foray after evading Hunte's diving tackle. Crowther's goal made it 20-10 for half-time.

Two minutes into the second half Warrington set out their stall to complete the win when Roper span out of a two-man tackle to put Forster over. Roper goaled from the touchline against the wind.

Continued Wolves pressure brought more rewards. Briers cannoned wide and then switched play via Kohe-Love who weaved his way between four defenders for his second try. Roper's goal took the score to 32-10.

Steve McCurrie entered play from the bench and had an immediate impact, off-loading to enable Kohe-Love to whistle over for his hat-trick try.

Hunte's burst in the 65th minute paved the way for Penny to strike and he fooled Waisale Sovatabua with swift foot work to score from 30m. Briers took over the kicking and goaled.

Hunte stretched the Wolves' lead by touching down from a Briers kick. He looked to have no control of the ball in the act of scoring but the try was awarded. Briers converted.

Sheffield youngster Chris Thorman was obstructed by Hunte's tackle and was awarded a penalty try late on.

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.