Warrington Wolves 25 Leeds Rhinos 14: Winning run ended by relieved Wolves

OPENING SALVO: Tom Briscoe celebrates his opening try for Leeds Rhinos at Warrington Wolves last night. Picture: Bruce Rollinson.

The Wolves were fortunate not to have Ben Westwood sent off in the first minute after a late tackle on Liam Sutcliffe. They made the most of the reprieve as Atkins cancelled out Tom Briscoe’s early score with two tries and Tom Lineham added another.

There was controversy in the opening seconds as Westwood flattened Sutcliffe with a late shot after a kick by the Leeds man.

The Warrington forward could easily have been sent off for a challenge that ended a concussed Sutcliffe’s game but referee James Child brandished only a yellow.

Adam Cuthbertson tries to reach a loose ball as Ashton Sims moves in. Picture: Bruce Rollinson

Leeds were angered but at least took advantage of their numerical superiority to score while Westwood was off as Briscoe wriggled through the defence on the right.

Warrington were ragged and ill-disciplined at this stage and after Jack Hughes escaped punishment for another late tackle, Ashton Sims was placed on report following an altercation with Adam Cuthbertson.

That occurred after Cuthbertson had knocked on with Leeds trying to apply more pressure.

Atkins sparked the recovery as he collected a Lineham knock-down from a high kick from Declan Patton and crashed over.

He then brilliantly caught a Gidley bomb and forced his way over for a second.

Patton, starting in place of the injured Kevin Brown, converted both and thought he had created a hat-trick try for Atkins with a fine kick but the video ref ruled Leeds had grounded the ball.

Wire carried the momentum into the second half and a fine move saw Westwood send Lineham over on the left.

Leeds were not done, though, with and Matt Parcell and Joel Moon both going over.

But after Westwood had forced a goalline drop-out, Kurt Gidley jinked his way through the Leeds line. Patton capped a fine display with a fourth conversion and a late drop goal.

Warrington Wolves: Ratchford, Russell, T. King, Atkins, Lineham, Patton, Gidley, Hill, Clark, Sims, Westwood, Hughes, Westerman. Substitutes: Philbin, Dwyer, Evans, G. King.

Leeds Rhinos: Golding, Briscoe, Watkins, Keinhorst, Hall, McGuire, Moon, Garbutt, Burrow, Cuthbertson, Ablett, Sutcliffe, Jones-Buchanan. Substitutes: Mullally, Parcell, Delaney, Walters.

Referee: James Child (RFL)