CREDIT Wolves for digging deep to overcome a confident Leigh side and book a Challenge Cup semi-final berth.
Hurdles were leaped, literally in Kevin Penny’s case, as Tony Smith’s men fought back from a half-time deficit in a pressure-cooker tie against Championship underdogs.
Having only 18 ‘fit’ players – skipper Joel Monaghan and his centre Chris Bridge were lost to injury in the week – Wolves then had to recover from deputising three-quarter James Laithwaite being stretchered off with a spiral fracture of his fibula late in the first half.
Then after getting their noses back in front with two stunning scores inside five minutes of the restart they successfully dealt with Gareth O’Brien spending 10 minutes in the sin bin.
That’s gutsy when a number of players were carrying injuries but did so knowing there was no cavalry to call on.
Although dangerous Leigh continued to threaten, Wolves never let their lead slip below eight points again and extended it to 14 while down to 12 men when George King pounced on a Brad Dwyer grubber for his first senior try.
Dwyer, recalled from London Broncos after Leigh snatched hooker Micky Higham off Wolves, was an inspiration in the second period.
From his scintillating break in the half’s first set Stef Ratchford zig-zagged through the scrambling defenders before handing over for Penny to score.
Four minutes later came the pulsating tie’s highlight, Penny receiving a pass from two-try Ben Currie and racing for the corner.
Two metres from home he leaped over covering defender Tom Armstrong and, while the rest of his body was in mid-air over the touchline, he stretched out his left arm to plant the ball.
Winning cup ties is about strong defence too, and not just from the hard-working forwards.
Richie Myler bundled speedy Liam Kay into touch when Leigh had their tails up, and Gene Ormsby clattered Gregg McNally to prevent an overlap when Wolves were a man short.
Hopefully some signs of encouragement for the Super League games to come.
INTERESTING NOTES
Harrison’s 200th game for Wolves n King’s first senior try for Warrington
Wolves book sixth semi in seven years
Only one higher Challenge Cup crowd at The Halliwell Jones Stadium – 13,024 for quarter final loss to Wigan in 2011
Penny and Currie each scored four tries in two Challenge Cup games this year
MATCH FACTS
Challenge Cup quarter final, Saturday, June 27, 2015
Warrington Wolves...34 Leigh Centurions...24
Wolves: Stefan Ratchford; Gene Ormsby, James Laithwaite, Ryan Atkins, Kevin Penny; Gareth O’Brien, Richie Myler; Chris Hill, Daryl Clark, Ashton Sims, Ben Westwood, Ben Currie, Ben Harrison. Subs: Brad Dwyer, Roy Asotasi, Joe Philbin, George King.
Centurions: Gregg McNally; Johnny Pownall, Greg Worthington, Tom Armstrong, Liam Kay; Martyn Ridyard, Ryan Brierley; Oliver Wilkes, Bob Beswick, Gareth Hock, Andrew Dixon, Tommy Goulden, Jake Emmitt. Subs: Adam Higson, Sam Hopkins, Fuifui Moimoi, Tom Spencer.
Scoring: Sims try, 8mins, O’Brien converts, 6-0; Worthington try, 12mins, Ridyard converts, 6-6; Currie try, 20mins, O’Brien converts, 12-6; Brierley try, 24mins, 12-10; McNally try, 36mins, 12-14; Penny try, 41mins, O’Brien converts, 18-14; Penny try, 45mins, 22-14; King try, 56mins, Westwood converts, 28-14; Brierley try, 65mins, Ridyard converts, 28-20; Currie try, 70mins, O’Brien converts, 34-20; Armstrong try, 73mins, 34-24.
Sin bin: O’Brien, obstruction, 47mins
Penalties: Wolves 5 Centurions 7
Referee: Richard Silverwood
Attendance: 10,119
Top Man: Brad Dwyer
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