Solomona 'distraught' as Wolves let Wigan nick victory

The Wolves let slip a 16-4 half-time lead to go down 22-20 to Wigan in front of a sell-out 13,024 crowd at the Halliwell Jones Stadium and miss the chance to go top of the Engage Super League.

But they had a chance to level the scores when Chris Bridge narrowly failed to convert Louis Anderson's 74th-minute try and they would have secured victory had Solomona been able to ground the ball after forcing his way over the line with 71 seconds left on the clock.

"He's distraught in there, saying sorry to all his team-mates," revealed Warrington coach Tony Smith.

"But it's not all down to him and he'll score plenty this year.

"It's fine-line stuff sometimes, we were within a centimetre or two of snatching the victory.

"It's not just down to one thing, we had a few opportunities. In the second half we didn't perform the way we wanted to. We went a bit flat and allowed our opposition to get back into it.

"That's what they can do. They're a dangerous team, they've got some speed and can turn it on."

Warrington were still holding a 12-point lead when influential stand-off Lee Briers went off with ankle ligament damage 11 minutes into the second half but Smith played down the significance of the loss.

"We probably could have done with him in that tight situation at the end but it's a team sport and you get injuries," he said.

"Some of the momentum had shifted before Lee went off.

"If we're in there fighting and competing like we did tonight every game this year I'll be a proud coach.

"I thought the effort from both teams was enormous and I think both teams will enjoy their season if they're in there competing like that."

Warrington winger Chris Riley took his try tally to seven in three matches while Wigan's Amos Roberts touched down twice for the third match in a row despite switching from wing to full-back in the absence of the injured Cameron Phelps.

St Helens coach Mick Potter admitted the dismissal of Catalans Dragons forward Olivier Elima was pivotal as his side eased to a 42-12 win over the

12-man Dragons in Perpignan.

The French team were leading 8-4 when Elima, leading the side in the absence of the injured Thomas Bosc, was sent off for a high tackle on young winger Jonny Lomax.

"It probably made the other team drop their shoulders a bit," said Potter, a former Catalans coach. "The Dragons tried as hard as they could but 12 against 13 was tough for them.

"They never gave up but they probably ran out of gas," he added.

Lomax, deputising for injured Ade Gardner, had scored Saints' opening try and added another before going off with the effects of the head injury sustained in the challenge from Elima.

Matt Gidley and Francis Meli also touched down twice while other tries came from Maurie Fa'asavalu and Kyle Eastmond, who also kicked five goals.