Warrington crowned their promotion winning season by winning the Lancashire Trophy and taking the 150-year-old silverware back to Stockton Lane for the second consecutive year.

The substantial crowd enjoyed a ten try repast on a day perfect for running rugby. In the first few minutes’ winger Tom McEniff was brought down just metres short of the try line. The ball was recycled quickly with stand-off JP Hudson delivering the scoring pass to middle row Harry Kellett crashing over between the posts. Hudson converted. 7-0

Wigan were quick to reply, however, scoring two minutes later with a driving maul from a line out just seven metres out from the Warrington line. 7-5

Warrington were in fine attacking fettle but Wigan relieved the pressure on them by stealing two Warrington line-outs in quick succession. However, Warrington continued with their flair, running in three tries in a ten-minute purple patch midway through the half. A quickly taken penalty by an alert Archie Kellett gave room for fellow centre Ryan Newton to get to within five metres of the Wigan line. Good support and fast hands from back row Jonny Evans supplied the final pass for live wire scrum half Jack Whittaker’s score, Hudson converting. 14-5

From the restart, quick service off the top of a line-out from Jonny Evans went via Harry Kellett to brother Archie and finally to Newton to finish. 19-5

Then back row Joe Craven added the third of this trio when some difficult bounces from a perfect kick through beat both the defence and initially the attackers without incurring knockon’s. Craven finally secured the ball before touching down from five metres out, Hudson with the conversion. 26-5

With five minutes left in the half a mighty kick from Hudson from his own half punted the ball up to the Wigan line. Although the Wigan full back managed to collect the ball, he was caught by winger Max Caldwell after a superb chase. Warrington regained possession and back row Craven fed prop Sam Bennett the scoring pass from two metres out, Hudson again kicking the conversion.

HT 33-5

Whether a reduction to fourteen men due to a red card in the first half gave them more determination, or an electrifying talk by their coach at half time galvanised them, or throttling back by Warrington gave them more room, or a mixture of all three, Wigan dominated possession and territory in the second half.

The ball rarely got beyond their inside centre but was generally trundled up the middle at no great pace but with plenty of determination. Warrington’s defensive skills were now put to the test and for the most part passed. Some superb tackling, notably from back row Andy Kellett and middle row Will Morgan, kept Wigan at bay until they finally bulldozed over from short range with twenty minutes left in the game. 33-12

A jinking run from JP Hudson then took the stand off up to within 35 metres of the Wigan line where Warrington were awarded a penalty which the man himself coolly converted. 36-12

Centre Newton extended Warrington’s lead five minutes later after a well-rehearsed move with an ad hoc intervention by captain Danny Fleming who gave the final pass, Hudson converting. 43-12

Wigan then took advantage of Warrington’s generosity in giving penalties to earn line-outs ever closer to Warrington’s line. This ultimately gave them a platform for sustained close range pressure and a try under the posts. 43-19

Warrington had the last word, however, in the last play of the match when a prescient McEniff intercepted on the half way line as Wigan attacked and romped home for Warrington’s seventh try under the posts, Hudson converting

FT 50-19

Team: -
1) Tom Green *, 2) Alex Stewart *, 3) Sam Bennett *, 4) Will Morgan *, 5) Harry Kellett *,
6) Jonny Evans *, 7) Joe Craven *, 8) Danny Fleming (c)*,
9) Jack Whittaker *, 10) JP.Hudson *, 11) Kyle Cherrett, 12) Achie Kellett *, 13) Ryan Newton, 14) Tom McEniff * 15) Luke Turner *

Bench: - 16) Jack Baker *, 17) Oli Hudson *, 18) Andy Kellett *, 19) Ty Hamblett *,
20) Sam Whalley *, 21) Max Caldwell *, 22) Jude Lightfoot *

*Indicates home grown players

Referee Team: - Jonathan Cartwright, AR1) Joe Quinn AR2) Alex Wood
(Manchester & District Referees Society)

Report by Roy Potts WRUFC