Weather and field conditions were perfect for an entertaining contest and that is just what was served up in this thirteen try spectacle by two teams vying for promotion.

Warrington repeated their blitzkreig opening against Oldham two weeks ago and were two tries up in five minutes. The first from centre Ryan Newton as the ball swept across the back division to the right then sweetly back left where Newton touched down out wide. Newton also added the second, catching the ball straight from the restart and blasting with gusto and handoffs through the Southport defence. JP Hudson added the conversion. 12-0.

Southport got on that scoreboard five minutes later when the forwards burrowed over from short range on the second of two short penalties. However, Warrington once more scored directly from the restart, this time through stand-off Matt Beeley, after Newton again devastated the Southport defence, Hudson converted. 19-7.

Southport tended to keep the ball tight where good ball retention and a willingness to make yards the hard way indicated that your own 22 was not the place to play these opponents. Unfortunately, this was just where Warrington found themselves when Southport were awarded a penalty on half way. The subsequent line-out on Warrington’s 5m line gave them the platform for their second close range try. A third try with the same tactic ten minutes later put the visitors just 2 points behind. 19-17.

With ten minutes to the interval Warrington gained a line-out 5m out. Although the short ball to the front did not initially pay its usual dividends, Warrington maintained the field position and put middle row Harry Kellett in with a neat inside pass, Hudson converted. Thereafter, it was back to open play for try scoring as wingers Jack Rigby and Ryan Eastwood both registered tries, the latter converted by Hudson. Eastwood’s on the stroke of half time from a trademark cross kick from Beeley.

HT 38-17.

Sticking to what had served them well enough in the first half, Southport kept the ball tight to put early pressure on the Warrington line but superb jackalling by back rower Joe Craven managed to relieve the pressure as Southport were penalised for holding on the ground. Although this gained Warrington a line-out on half way, Southport won that ball and attempted an attack. Winger Rigby, however, intercepted and scampered down the touch line and round under the posts for his second and Warrington’s seventh try, Hudson with the easy conversion. 45-17.

Newton was next on the board for his third try taking a good inside offload from Hudson, his conversion followed, to end another flowing Warrington attack. 52-17.

With five minutes to go and with little realistic hope of winning, Southport by no means slackened off but redoubled their efforts in the hope of a try bonus point. A line out on the Warrington 5m line looked as if it might prove the base for a fourth short range try but cooperative defensive work from props Rowan and White stopped the maul developing any momentum. Southport still retained possession, however, and eventually ground over in the corner against a Warrington side now temporarily reduced to thirteen. 52-22.

From the restart, Southport mounted an attack through their back division but fumbled the ball. Centre Kyle Cherrett was on hand to snap the ball up, hand off any would be defenders and touch down for Warrington’s ninth try. This was not to be end of the scoring as, from the restart, the last play of the game, Warrington did not retain possession and Southport manufactured a fifth try from good use of their pick and go style.

FT 57-27.

The game provided an interesting contrast in competing styles, and emphasised, for Warrington at least, the difficulty of legally defending, even with committed and well marshalled tackling, against a team skilled in pick and go.

Report Roy Potts WRUFC