ACADEMY PLAY-OFFS

Wigan u19 34

WARRINGTON Academy team begin their grand final play-offs with an elimination tie at St. Helens tonight, Friday.

The Academy series follows the same format as the Super League's with fifth place Warrington facing fourth place Saints at Knowsley Road, kick-off 5.25pm.

Warrington did not need to defeat Wigan in their final league game at Wilderspool on Sunday to book their ticket to the play-offs but they gave it their best shot anyway.

They gave a powerful Wigan side the fright of their lives and only lost in the final moments.

A devastating spell by the visitors at the end of the first half and start of the second half, when they scored 12 points, was probably the turning point in a game in which the Wolves appeared to have command.

The Wolves built up a 20-4 lead with tries by Neil Callon, two, Danny Buckley and Ian Sibbit plus two conversions from Stephen Kirkbride.

But Wigan, with relatives of famous past and present players excelling, pulled it back to 20-10 for half-time and went on to take the lead 28-20. Chris Farrell, younger brother of Andy, scored one try while Graeme West's son Duane added another and Norman Turley's son Neil kicked the goals.

Wolves substitute Andy Barr broke clear from the halfway line to outpace the Wigan cover and scored between the posts, leaving Kirkbride with an easy conversion and leaving Warrington just two points behind.

Warrington's hopes were dashed two minutes from time when West completed his hat-trick.

Team: Gornik; Yates, Callon, Barber, Buckley; Kirkbride, Finney; Parry, Penkywicz, Tyman, Simpson, Hill, Sibbit. Subs: Barr, Fernley, Dootson, Hughes.

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