Round 17 Warrington Wizards vs Hemel Stags
Warrington Wizards 40 Hemel Stags 16
Hemel went down fighting to a top of the table Warrington Wizards team at
Wilderspool on Saturday.
The Wizards trailed in the game for long periods, but in the closing quarter they showed why they are challenging at the top of the table to run out comfortable winners against a very resilient Hemel side who will be a match for any team if they can hang onto a play off spot.
The Wizards opened the scoring in the thirteenth minute when a long cross field kick from the right corner on the last tackle by hooker Warren Ayres was weighted perfectly for winger Shaun Daley to collect and score in the left corner, but the Stags hit back eight minutes later when a loose pass by the Wizards was pounced on by ever alert scrum half Blake Kirby who raced forty metres unopposed to score in the right corner. Hemel’s 16 year old Jamie Acton again put in a performance that belies his age.
Hemel took a deserved lead just before the half hour when quick hands on the last tackle saw very impressive stand off Cameron Mann stretch over at the right of the posts. Kirby converted. but when the Wizards found touch from the kick off, loose forward Alan Reddecliff and hooker Warren Ayres combined down the blind side to put centre Ian Stephenson over in the left corner. Hemel’s Blake Kirby was replaced on 35 minutes after suffering a twisted ankle and took no further part in the game. Hemel went in at half time 10 – 8 to the good.
Hemel started the second half strongly and three minutes into it slick hands saw Tony McAllister make the break to offload to hooker Andy Curtian who then put full back Kane Phillips in to score at the side of the posts. Substitute Sean Johnston added the conversion, but then the Wizards regained the ball straight from the kick off once again and set up good position in front of the posts for Reddecliff to go over. Stand off Chris Mellor converted to reduce the deficit to two points.
Hemel were punished after giving away three penalties one after the other to give Wizards good field position, Wizards took the lead when a lovely short ball from Ayres put full back Carl Lloyd through a gap to score in the left corner and then almost immediately a superb offload by prop forward Scott Davidson found scrum half Billy Sheen in support to score under the posts. Mellor goaled the latter to give his side an eight point cushion at 24-16.
The Wizards made the game safe seven minutes from time when substitute Matt Clarke made a fifty metre run down the left that was carried on by Stephenson whose inside ball found Clarke to score and then two minutes from the end great play by Sheen drew four defenders towards him before finding Lloyd who sidestepped round the cover to score. Mellor converted on both occasions to give the Wizards a vital 40-16 victory.
The score line flattered Wizards and Hemel were left wondering how close they could have been to getting something out of the game.
Tries: Blake Kirby (21) Cameron Mann (27) Kane Phillips (43)
Goals: Blake Kirby (21) Sean Johnson (43)
Hemel Man of the Match: Cameron Mann
Hemels Payers Player Award: