Warrington Wolves 32 Wakefield Trinity 18: Proctor sees red as Wolves profit from extra man

The scores were locked at 12-12 in an even contest when Proctor was shown the red card by referee Marcus Griffiths 13 minutes into the second half for a high tackle on Warrington full-back Josh Thewlis.

And the Wolves made their extra man tell as Matty Ashton claimed two tries and George Williams also touched down as Warrington returned to winning ways after successive defeats to Wigan and St Helens.

Thewlis had claimed two first-half tries for Daryl Powell’s side, while Stefan Ratchford kicked six goals.

It was a brave effort from Wakefield who claimed tries through Morgan Smith, Kelepi Tanginoa and Matty Ashurst and three goals from Will Dagger but they remain rooted to the foot of the table still searching for their first points of the campaign.

Warrington welcomed back Paul Vaughan and Joe Philbin after suspension and Joe Bullock returned after six weeks out with a broken thumb, while all six players who represented England in the big win over France were included.

Wakefield did not include new signing and former Man of Steel Luke Gale in their squad after his signing from Championship side Keighley but star forward Tanginoa returned after his spell on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.

As expected the Wolves applied all the early pressure and it came as no surprise when they claimed the first try of the game as Thewlis scythed his way through the Trinity defence for the opening score after eight minutes.

And the full-back repeated the dose three minutes later with his second of the game after supporting a James Harrison break and with Ratchford on target with both conversions the home side enjoyed an early 12-0 advantage.

But it was all credit to Super League’s bottom side, who could easily have crumbled under the early onslaught, that they battled back with two tries of their own.

Firstly Smith scored a fine solo try and seven minutes later a smart Mason Lino pass allowed Tanginoa to crash over from close range.

Dagger kicked both conversions to level the scores at 12-12 and that was how it stayed until the interval.

Both sides were struggling to gain the advantage at the start of the second half but Proctor’s red card proved decisive as Ratchford kicked the resulting penalty and then Ashton went over in the corner soon after, again converted by the Wolves captain, to open up an eight-point lead at 20-12.

And the home side made sure of the two points when Williams raced over, Ashurst claimed a late consolation for Wakefield before Ashton claimed his second of the night in the final minute.

Warrington: J. Thewlis, Russell, Mata'utia, Ratchford, Ashton, Williams, Drinkwater, Harrison, Walker, Vaughan, Currie, Nicholson, McGuire. Substitutes: Dufty, Kasiano, Philbin, Bullock.

Wakefield: Dagger, Kay, Pitts, Gaskell, Taufua, Smith, Lino, Whitbread, Bowes, Proctor, Tanginoa, Ashurst, Crowther. Substitutes: Hood, Atoni, Bowden, Eseh.

Referee: M Griffiths (RFL)