MATCH REPORT ROUND 27: WARRINGTON WOLVES VS LONDON BRONCOS

The Broncos ended their season on an unfortunate low this evening as we came up against a Warrington team which is primed and ready for the Playoffs. From start to finish, the Wolves put on a clinic both offensively & defensively and solidified their third-place position.

The first half was a defensive and offensive clinic by Warrington Wolves. The Broncos didn’t even get a phase of play beyond the Warrington 20m line. On the other side of the field, Warrington contained London immensely well & on most sets, didn’t even let London out of their own 20m line.

The game began exactly how the Broncos wouldn’t have liked as Warrington got a penalty inside the Broncos half due to a Lovell high shot. After sending the ball deep into the Broncos half, London was lucky not to concede in the third minute as Miloudi did just enough to make the tackle on Thewlis into touch to prevent him from getting over the line. However, the defensive effort by London was quickly undone in the tenth minute as George Williams made a long, looping pass over Kershaw’s head to Matty Ashton who ran the ball over to score his first try of the evening.

Only four minutes later, history repeated itself as Matty Ashton was over the try line once more to add four more points to the Warrington score tally. When watching the game from afar it is hard to tell whether the try was scored due to poor tackling & defensive intensity by London or the fact that Warrington are truly so good that they can make scoring look easy. My guess is the latter.

London had a brief period of about three phases into the Warrington half as a kicking mistake gave London the ball on the halfway line, but Leyland’s attempted pass went forward, and Warrington immediately regained possession of the ball. London made a mistake once more only three minutes later as Leyland’s attempted pass missed the receiver and went out of bounds- an easy let off for Warrington who made the most of the mistake as they were in to score their third try of the half just two minutes later, courtesy this time of Matty Nicholson.

London were truly pinned back in their half for the following ten minutes with Miloudi being tackled immediately before he can get the opportunity to do his usual tricks and offloads. London finally looked to have gotten a let off in the 32^nd minute as they were awarded a penalty for a high shot on Natoli, just a few meters away from their try line. However, the Broncos could not break down the Warrington defensive effort and on the next possession, Matty Ashton made his way back down the pitch to score a first half hattrick for the home side.

Just three minutes later, with two minutes to go until half time, Warrington made the Broncos pay yet again as Lindop runs most of the pitch and evades three tackles to score a break away try to end the half. A heap of work is needed here for the Broncos to have any chance of even making their way into the Warrington 20m line, let alone to score. Huge 40 minutes to go.

HALF TIME: WARRINGTON WOLVES 26-0 LONDON BRONCOS

Heading into the beginning of the second half it was clear to see that Warrington were going to carry on as they left off in the first half as Lindop, who scored to close the first half, scored three minutes into the second half.

The Broncos had one of their only chances in the game in the 45^th minute as Natoli dived on a loose ball by Warrington in their half and London eventually made their way past Warrington’s 20m line for the first time this evening but unfortunately Lovell was tackled on the fifth and Warrington regained possession of the ball.

In the forty ninth minute, Warrington made London pay once again as Harrison bundled his way over the try line to score a try before Thewlis got himself over the line just 3 minutes later to get a try of his own.

London had another brief chance in the 55^th minute as Warrington knock on, giving the Broncos a scrum in the Wolves half but the ball is wasted, and Warrington get the ball back via a scrum.

After some back and forth play, Warrington had the ball over the line in the 63^rd minute but the Video Referee determined that the ball had been held up. However, in the 66^th minute, the Wolves made up for the previous try with Thewlis scoring his second try of the second half.

4 minutes later, in the 70^th minute, Matty Ashton made a huge break who put a try on a platter for Ben Currie to score his first Super League try of the year.

Despite a goal line drop out for Warrington in the 76^th minute, the Broncos cannot put any form of strong attack together and the game, and London’s Super League season, came to an end.

FULL TIME: WARRINGTON WOLVES 54-0 LONDON BRONCOS

Penalties conceded: 2-1

HALF TIME: 26-0

FULL TIME: 54-0

Warrington Wolves:

Team:

1) Matt Dufty, 2) Josh Thewlis, 33) Aaron Lindop, 3) Toby King, 5) Matty Ashton, 6) George Williams, 7) Josh Drinkwater, 41) Luke Yates, 9) Danny Walker, 16) Zane Musgrove, 42) John Bateman, 13) Matty Nicholson, 11) Ben Currie.

Interchanges: 32) Sam Powell, 34) Max Wood, 17) Jordy Crowther, 8) James Harrison.

Try: Matty Ashton (10, 14, 35), Matty Nicholson (21, 66), Arron Lindop (38, 42), James Harrison (50), Thewlis (53), Ben Currie (70).

Conversion: Thewlis 7/10

Sin-bin:

Penalty Kicks:

London Broncos:

Team:

23) Josh Rourke, 2) Lee Kershaw, 12) Ethan Natoli, 3) Jarred Bassett, 4) Hakim Miloudi, 20) Oli Leyland, 6) Jack Campagnolo, 8) Rob Butler, 29) Jacob Jones, 19) Rhys Kennedy, 11) Will Lovell, 17) Sadiq Adebiyi, 15) Marcus Stock.

Interchanges: 34) Ugo Tison, 10) Lewis Bienek. 7) James Meadows, 18) Emmanuel Waine.

Try:

Conversion:

Sin-bin:

Penalty Kicks: