A BRILLIANT first-half display from Warrington Wolves Academy paved the way for a 25-12 victory over Leeds Rhinos at Victoria Park Stadium on Saturday to secure a play-off semi-final place.

Full-back Cai Taylor-Wray and winger Frank Sergent each crossed for a brace of tries.

Wolves Academy head coach Mark Smith said: “It was an outstanding performance where every player fulfilled their role within the team.

“The game plan was executed really well and there were some outstanding individual displays that nailed their brief.

“A great platform to build upon heading into the final stages of the season.”

The opening quarter was attritional with both defences on top and it took a touch of brilliance for the deadlock to be broke after 24 minutes.

Wolves winger Lachlan Webster made a 50-metre break from deep inside his own half and a quick play-the-ball saw Taylor-Wray send out a long cut-out ball for Sargent to round the cover and score between the posts for stand-off Joe Hickey to convert.

On the half-hour Wolves scrum-half Daniel Regan found substitute Alfie Mather who shot through a gap and managed to slip a lovely ball to Taylor-Wray to score at the side of the posts.

Again Hickey converted and then right on the stroke of half time centre James Duffy was held just short and Sergent went on his own from dummy half, forcing his way over to give his side a 16-0 interval advantage.

Thirteen minutes into the second half Leeds got on the scoreboard when substitute Mason Corbett scooted from dummy half and brushed off a couple of Wolves defenders before stretching out to score at the side of the posts. Centre Harley Thomas converted.

Then on the hour mark Rhinos forced a goal-line drop out and after substitute Declan Ementon had been held just short hooker Joe Diskin went from dummy half to score between the posts, with Thomas’ goal narrowing his side’s deficit to just four points.

Wolves refused to panic and stuck to their processes which paid dividends six minutes later when they were awarded a penalty 10 metres out and after second-row James McGuire had been held just short a nice ball from Hickey found Taylor-Wray linking into the line and he stepped round the cover to score wide out on the left. Hickey added the conversion.

With five minutes remaining Hickey kicked a penalty goal after Rhinos were punished for a high tackle and shortly afterwards Hickey added a drop goal to complete the win.

Wolves: Cai Taylor-Wray; Frank Sergent, James Duffy, Arron Lindop, Lachlan Webster; Joe Hickey, Daniel Regan; Charlie McKler, Oliver Morgan, Isaac Reid, Charlie Walker, James Maguire, Jake Ramsden. Subs: Junior Westwood, Alfie Mather, Tom McKinney, Kian Stanton, Sam Roberts.