Warrington Wolves 66 Wakefield Trinity 12: Wakefield drop to bottom as Atkins proves his class

The Trinity coach is leaving at the end of the season after five years at the helm, but this morning his team sit bottom of Super League after being leapfrogged by Crusaders.

Seven successive Super League defeats have seen Wakefield hit rock bottom and they now have just three games to avoid the wooden spoon.

Louis Anderson and Matt King each crossed twice as Wolves showed their class, but Kear was please by an improved defensive display.

“I was heartened by our spirit and commitment and we defended better than in recent weeks despite the scoreline,” said Kear.

“We lost the penalty count 13-4 and you can’t give a team like Warrington that much possession.

“It’s like fighting Muhammad Ali with your hands behind your back and that’s why the scoreline ended like it did.

“I love watching Warrington but not coaching against them. Their left-edge bullied us and we learned some harsh lessons.”

Kear may be departing, but Trinity have already been busy recruiting for 2012. They have signed nine new players since being granted a new three-year Super League licence, including Leeds Rhinos’ Ali Lauititi, England winger Peter Fox from Hull KR and Newcastle Knights’ Steve Southern.

With three games remaining, the current Wildcats players know they are fighting for their Belle Vue futures as they look to climb off the foot of the table and back above Crusaders.

They are at home to rivals Castleford Tigers on Saturday for a match being televised live on Sky.

A trip to Headingley Carnegie is next on Friday September 2 to face a Rhinos side fresh from their Wembley appearance in the Challenge Cup final against Wigan Warriors just six days earlier.

And finally, Bradford Bulls are the visitors to Belle Vue on Friday, September 9, as Kear waves a final farewell to Trinity.

Yesterday, Kear was able to recall injured duo Glenn Morrison and Julien Rinaldi to the Trinity starting XIII who missed the demoralising 40-6 defeat to Crusaders last time out.

Papua New Guinea international Ryan Tongia came in for his debut following his switch from Cronulla Sharks, but Aaron Murphy missed out with a wrist injury.

Those expecting Wakefield to be sacrificial lambs to the slaughter were not disappointed when the Wolves opened the scoring with their first attack. The ball was easily moved forward, sending in Chris Bridge for a try in the opening minutes.

Former Huddersfield Giants full-back Brett Hodgson added the conversion but was quickly substituted and headed straight down the tunnel with a strained quad muscle.

Prompted by the probing Rinaldi, Wakefield came straight back to put pressure on the Wolves line, but failed to breach the home defence. Dale Morton was then unlucky not pick up a lofted ball, but the bounce evaded him.

At the other end, Wakefield’s defence were not as well-drilled, Anderson sending in Atkins for a try against his former club. Bridge converted.

Frenchman Rinaldi had been influential in everything Wakefield were creating, so it was no surprise when more impressive work saw Kyle Amor scramble over for a scrappy try.

Josh Veivers converted to cut the deficit to 12-6, but that was as close as they could muster as Richie Myler was next to power over for Wolves, Bridge adding the conversion.

Matt King spilled the ball with the line at his mercy, then Tongia recovered well to haul back Atkins as he raced out of his own half after a Wakefield attack broke down.

But the fourth try Warrington had been threatening finally arrived when Joel Monaghan dived over at the corner, Bridge adding his third conversion of the afternoon to lead 24-6 at the interval.

It was a case of damage limitation now for Wakefield, who were fortunate to escape when driving runs from David Solomona and King failed to end in scores.

But there was an air of predictability when King got on the end of another sweeping Wire move to canter over on the left wing before Anderson bulldozed through the visiting defence for a try.

From the resulting kick-off, Wolves returned the ball with interest as King charged through, before sending in Atkins for his second try, and he then completed his hat-trick after a period of intense pressure on the Trinity defence.

Bridge converted all four tries as Warrington led 48-6, and it needed a Semi Tadulala interception to finally bring some respite for battling Wakefield.

They managed to get some field position inside the hosts’ half, Morrison held up close to the line, but that simply stoked up Warrington who charged back downfield and Anderson provided the inevitable outcome with another Bridge-converted try.

Wakefield’s defence in the second-half had wilted, and when Solomona once again was allowed to drive through the ranks, King was on hand to finish off. Bridge’s conversion brought up the 60-point mark to delight the majority of the 10.296 crowd, and the Wolves goalkicker then turned provider to break away and play in Mike Cooper for a try.

A 10th successive conversion for Bridge earned him the man-of-the-match award, but the visitors had the final word.

A break from Tongia caught out Warrington, his pass inside struck Jeremy Smith who could only kick on before eventually grounding the ball. Veivers converted to complete the scoring.

Warrington Wolves: Hodgson, J Monaghan, Bridge, Atkins, King, Grix, Myley, Wood, M Monaghan, Carvell, Anderson, Westwood, Cooper. Substitutes: Harrison, Clarke, Evans, Solomona.

Wakefield Trinity Wildcats: Veivers, Morton, Dean, Tongia, Tadulala, Smith, Lee, Amor, Rinaldi, Johnson, Mariano, Morrison, Henderson. Substitutes: Korkidas, Wildie, Gledhill, Howarth.

Referee: B Thaler (RFL).