IT is a good sign when you are not at your best but are still able to beat last year's Grand Final runners up.

Although Wolves can still improve in certain areas, the fight and commitment in the ranks was more than a match for a Hull side with all their big guns back after injury and looking to use the fixture to kick-start their campaign.

The forwards, with Kiwi Vinnie Anderson returning from injury, performed like giants against Hull's no-nonsense pack of bulldozers.

Leading the way was back rower Mike Wainwright, who was the only Warrington forward to produce an 80-minute performance and was a colossus in defence.

Martin Gleeson was inspirational with his display, too, getting the better of his marker Kirk Yeaman, the fellow Great Britain centre.

Gleeson, who missed the previous week's defeat to Bradford because of flu, did not have an abundance of ball to work with but was very productive, playing a huge part in three of the four tries as Wolves turned a 12-0 deficit into a 22-12 cushion.

His unselfish decoy run created the space for Lee Briers to dart over in the first half and his incisive break and inside pass allowed Jon Clarke to put Wolves ahead for the first time in the second period.

The right centre bettered that when he popped up on the left flank and whipped out a superb long pass for Anderson to mark his home debut with a try from the wing position.

After going ahead 22-12, Warrington lost momentum on the back of conceding penalties.

That is an area where Wolves must improve because a game that should have been over was brought back to life with Hull crossing twice and squaring the scores at 24-24 with five minutes to go.

But Wolves can always feel confident when the game is on a knife edge and captain Briers is in the side.

The club's record drop-goal scorer ended Leeds Rhinos' play-off hopes with a magnificent effort last year and he capped a strong performance with the 51st drop goal of his Wolves career on Sunday, winning the game in the 77th minute.

At the sound of the final hooter Briers looked up to the sky and punched the air in delight.

Ten years into his career it still means so much to him to earn two valuable points for Warrington.

Match facts.

engage Super League XII Round Three, February 25, 2007.

Warrington Wolves 25 Hull FC 24.

Wolves: Stuart Reardon; Henry Fa'afili, Martin Gleeson, Paul Johnson, Brent Grose; Michael Sullivan (1t), Lee Briers (1t, 4g, 1dg); Chris Leikvoll, Jon Clarke (1t), Paul Rauhihi, Ben Westwood, Mike Wainwright, Vinnie Anderson (1t). Subs used: Mark Gleeson, Rob Parker, Steve Pickersgill, Paul Wood.

Hull: Motu Tony; Matt Sing (1t), Richard Whiting (1t), Kirk Yeaman, Gareth Raynor (1t); Paul Cooke (4g), Richard Horne; Ewan Dowes, Richard Swain, Garreth Carvell, Lee Radford (1t), Danny Tickle, Danny Washbrook. Subs used: Wayne Godwin, Willie Manu, Paul King, Hutch Maiava.

Referee: Steve Ganson Scoring: Rauhihi is sin-binned for dissent and Whiting shoots over from the penalty, 15mins, Cooke goals, 0-6; Reardon spills a high kick and holds up Tickle inches from the line but Radford powers over on the next tackle, 17mins, Cooke converts, 0-12; Sullivan scoots over from dummy half, 23mins, Briers goals, 6-12; Martin Gleeson's dummy run hands Briers a clear run to the line, 28mins, 10-12; Briers lands a penalty, 40+mins, 12-12; Briers sends Martin Gleeson away and he puts Clarke over, 47mins, Briers adds the extras, 18-12; Martin Gleeson pops up in the left centre position and fires out a pass for Anderson to touch down, 57mins, 22-12; Pickersgill's high tackle hands momentum to Hull who score courtesy of Raynor, 63mins, Cooke hits the target, 22-18; Cooke's obstruction on Martin Gleeson results in a Briers penalty goal, 68mins, 24-18; Parker and Rauhihi's offences lead to Sing crossing from Whiting's feed, 75mins, Cooke converts, 24-24; Briers boots over 25m drop goal, 77mins, 25-24.

Sin bin: Rauhihi 14mins.

Pens: Wolves 11 Hull 10.

Scrums: Wolves 10 Hull 7.

Attendance: 11,097.

Warrington Guardian top men: Wainwright 3pts, Martin Gleeson 2pts, Briers 1pt.

Interesting note: Briers has scored tries in each of Wolves' last three home wins against Hull.