Warrington beat Catalans to stay in play-off hunt

Betfred Super League, Halliwell Jones Stadium

Warrington (12) 30

Tries: Gardner, Jake Thewlis 2, Stone, Josh Thewlis Goals: Sneyd 5

Catalans (22) 22

Warrington Wolves came from 22-6 down to beat Catalans Dragons and maintain their hopes of a place in the Super League play-offs.

Tommy Makinson’s hat-trick inside half an hour had given the visitors a big lead, with Matthieu Laguerre also going over for the visitors.

Zack Gardner scored Wire’s first try, before Jake Thewlis added a second to bring them back to 22-12 behind at half-time.

It was a fourth consecutive victory for Warrington over Catalans but they were outplayed in the first half.

Makinson scored the opening try after only four minutes with a dive into the left corner, but Wire kept a loose ball alive and worked it right to give Gardner a walk in.

The French side then took control as centre Laguerre ran over two would-be tacklers to score their second try, before full-back Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet chipped over the defence, his kick was gathered again and the play moved left for Makinson’s second score.

His hat-trick soon followed as Laguerre again burst through the defence and stand-off Luke Keary kicked to the left corner on the last tackle. It was claimed by Makinson, who did superbly well to ground the ball before being taken into touch.

Wire replied before the break as George Williams kicked over the defence, Connor Wrench gathered and sent Jake Thewlis galloping up the left touchline to score.

On the resumption, Williams’ grubber was deflected into the path of Stone to gather and go over to launch a sustained period of pressure from the hosts.

They eventually went ahead as Jake Thewlis scored the try of the night. Offered a moment’s space in the left corner, he dived for the line and grounded the ball with both feet above waist height.

Marc Sneyd then landed a superb goal, his fourth out of five in all, to put Warrington in front for the first time.

Warrington head coach Sam Burgess told BBC Radio Merseyside:

“I was relatively calm at half-time considering the performance because I knew if we got our game together we could still win.

“A couple moments in the first half we were poor defensively but Catalans came to play and they challenged us with the ball and we just switched off a little bit.

Warrington: Rachford, Josh Thewlis, Gardner, Wrench, Jake Thewlis, Williams, Sneyd, Yates, Walker, Matterson, Stone, Fitzgibbon, Currie

Interchanges: Powell, Philbin, Thomas, Holroyd

Catalans: Aispuro-Bichet, Makinson, Laguerre, Smith, Cotric, Keary, Fages, Maria, Da Costa, Satae, Garcia, Sironen, Partington

Interchanges: Pangai Jr, Navarette, Dezaria, Balmforth