This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2014/sep/20/warrington-widnes-super-league-elimination-play-off-report

The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Joel Monaghan scores hat-trick as Warrington come back to beat Widnes Joel Monaghan scores hat-trick as Warrington come back to beat Widnes
(about 3 hours later)
Warrington Wolves finally ignited this year’s Super League play-offs, as a hat-trick from their prolific winger Joel Monaghan helped them overturn an 18-point deficit. Warrington Wolves finally ignited this year’s Super League play-offs, as a hat-trick from their prolific winger Joel Monaghan helped them overturn an 18-point deficit. After blow-out scores at Wigan and St Helens the previous two nights, the local rivals produced a captivating battle here that remained in doubt until the final minute.
After blow-out scores at Wigan and St Helens the previous two nights, the local rivals produced a captivating battle here that remained in doubt until the final minute.
The result ensured differing fortunes for the teams’ retiring hookers, with Warrington’s Michael Monaghan extending his illustrious career by at least a further week, and the Vikings’ Jon Clarke calling time on his to move into a conditioning role with the club.The result ensured differing fortunes for the teams’ retiring hookers, with Warrington’s Michael Monaghan extending his illustrious career by at least a further week, and the Vikings’ Jon Clarke calling time on his to move into a conditioning role with the club.
The two Monaghan brothers, who captained the side at various stages of the game, were integral to Warrington’s impressive comeback, which books them a trip to Castleford on Thursday. “Their experience and calmness, and what they are able to do for us, helped us to control that game,” the Wolves coach, Tony Smith, said. “At no stage did we feel the game was lost, even at 18-0.”The two Monaghan brothers, who captained the side at various stages of the game, were integral to Warrington’s impressive comeback, which books them a trip to Castleford on Thursday. “Their experience and calmness, and what they are able to do for us, helped us to control that game,” the Wolves coach, Tony Smith, said. “At no stage did we feel the game was lost, even at 18-0.”
The only negative point for the Wolves was a nasty injury to their full-back Matty Russell, sustained after a heavy collision with the Widnes forward Macgraff Leuluai. The game was held up for almost 10 minutes before Russell was taken from the field on a stretcher. The only negative for the Wolves was a nasty injury to their full-back Matty Russell, sustained in a collision with Macgraff Leuluai. The game was held up for almost 10 minutes before Russell was taken from the field on a stretcher. Smith said: “He’s pretty smashed up. As a minimum he will lose some teeth, his nose is smashed and he was unconscious for a long-time. He’s going to hospital – we’re concerned.”
Smith said: “He’s pretty smashed up. As a minimum he will lose some teeth, his nose is smashed and he was unconscious for a long-time. He’s going to hospital – we’re concerned.” That worry was confirmed later with Russell confirmed to have suffered a broken jaw and a broken nose. Russell later tweeted that scans on his head and neck have cleared him of any serious injury.
That worry was confirmed later with Russell confirmed to have suffered a broken jaw and a broken nose. Twice inside the first nine minutes, kicks from Kevin Brown created tries for Paddy Flynn. When Rhys Hanbury evaded Richie Myler and Russell for an excellent solo score, the Vikings held a shock 18-0 lead. Warrington responded when Myler made amends by creating the space for Chris Bridge to send Joel Monaghan over for his first try, and those two combined again shortly after the restart, following a Brown drop goal just before the break.
Twice inside the first nine minutes, kicks from Kevin Brown created tries for Paddy Flynn. When Rhys Hanbury evaded Richie Myler and Russell for an excellent solo score, the Vikings held a shock 18-0 lead.
Warrington responded when Myler made amends by creating the space for Chris Bridge to send Joel Monaghan over for his first try, and those two combined again shortly after the restart, following a Brown drop goal just before the break.
The gap was three points when Gareth O’Brien’s smart pass allowed Rhys Evans to cross in the opposite corner, and the home side were ahead for the first time when Bridge beat Stefan Marsh and Patrick Ah Van to send Joel Monaghan over for his hat-trick.The gap was three points when Gareth O’Brien’s smart pass allowed Rhys Evans to cross in the opposite corner, and the home side were ahead for the first time when Bridge beat Stefan Marsh and Patrick Ah Van to send Joel Monaghan over for his hat-trick.
Russell’s injury and a 70-metre chase back from Hanbury to deny Joel Monaghan a fourth ensured a gripping finale, with Warrington standing firm on the two occasions that a tiring Widnes attack had promising positions. Russell’s injury and a 70-metre chase back from Hanbury to deny Joel Monaghan a fourth ensured a gripping finale, with Warrington standing firm on the two occasions that a tiring Widnes attack had promising positions. “It was really high on effort; we just lacked a little bit of composure in the second half,” the Widnes coach, Denis Betts, said. “Sometimes you can stop thinking about winning a game and start worrying about losing, and that’s something we will talk about.”
“It was really high on effort; we just lacked a little bit of composure in the second half,” the Widnes coach, Denis Betts, said. “Sometimes you can stop thinking about winning a game and start worrying about losing, and that’s something we will talk about.”