AMID what he described as a “very professional” team performance, Ryan O’Brien reserved special praise for some individuals within the Warrington Wolves reserve team as they completed a club “double” over Leeds Rhinos.

Less than 24 hours after the first-team’s victory at Headingley, the reserves headed to the same ground and also left victorious thanks to a 36-16 victory.

Six tries came from as many different scorers for a Wire side that mixed youth with first-team experience, with the likes of Rodrick Tai and Matty Russell lining up for O’Brien’s side.

Bobby Shingler, Frank Sergent, Zac Bardsley-Rowe and Lucas Green touched down to send the visitors into half-time comfortably ahead and while the Rhinos threatened a fightback early in the second half, Tom Whitehead and Cai Taylor-Wray then scored to keep them at arm’s length.

O’Brien had particular praise for Green and Whitehead, both of whom played the full match, as well as the leadership offered by experienced winger Russell.

“I thought it was a very professional performance from us,” he said.

“There were a few isolated lapses in standards that either hurt us on the scoreboard or meant we had to scramble hard to recover, but other than that we stuck to task really well.

“The most pleasing aspect was our defence, particularly how we looked to win the collision and control the speed of the ruck.

“There were individual improvements across the board, but I think Lucas Green and Tom Whitehead deserve a special mention for their 80-minute shifts in the middle and how well they linked up with each other.

“Matty Russell was also outstanding and had a big, positive impact on our young group.”

Shingler powered over from close range to open the scoring early for Wire, but Ben Littlewood’s try shortly afterwards levelled matters for the hosts.

However, that proved the cue for the visitors to start pulling away – Sergent burrowed over from dummy-half after Tai had been held short of the line, Bardsley-Rowe crossed on the left after a Rhinos error and Green was put through a huge gap by Whitehead to touch down and take Wire’s lead to 24-6.

Either side of half time, though, Leeds began to eat away at the deficit as tries from Dylan Proud and Archie Edgell reduced Wire’s lead to eight points.

That would be as good as it got for the Rhinos, however, as Whitehead linked up well with Joe Hickey to add his name to the scoresheet before Taylor-Wray supported Ben Hartill’s break to round off the scoring.

The next reserves fixture is scheduled for Saturday, April 20, when Leigh Leopards visit Victoria Park on the same day as the Super League fixture between the two.

Wolves: Cai Taylor-Wray; Frank Sergent, Roderick Tai, Zac Bardsley-Rowe, Matty Russell; Joe Hickey, Adam Whalley; Bobby Shingler, Ben Hartill, Lucas Green, Peter Scott, Nolan Tupaea, Tom Whitehead. Subs: Zack Gardner, Stephen Antrobus, Scott Parnaby, Jamie Reddecliff. 18th man: Tom McKinney