Southport & Ormskirk Storm 30
Warrington Wolves IMBRL 16
@ Edge Hill University - 03/02/07 - NWC6

Warrington IMBRL returned to action for the first time in nine weeks with an away trip to Edge Hill University to face Southport & Ormskirk.

The winter period hadn’t been kind to the club leading to a lack of fixtures for a number of reasons. Indeed the only points that IMBRL were able to acquire from over 2 months of no action, came against Wigan St Cuthberts who failed to raise a team in January.

Prior to that the club had been given an old fashioned thumping away at Spring View in December 2006 and thus had a lot to prove ahead of the contest.

On table positions both clubs looked evenly matched and so it was to prove on the field of play.

Prior to kick-off, the Wolves had been dealt a bitter blow with the news that the inspirational Mick Austin had called time on his IMBRL career, whilst prop forward Keith Ryan had also made the same decision.

Despite this, the Wolves still travelled with 20 players and were able to select a strong bench which included regular starters who were returning from injury.

The game couldn’t have started much more sweetly for the visitors as a free flowing move saw Mark Moore and Andy Hawley combine to send Matt Lawton over for an unconverted try in the corner.

However the Storm came fighting back and then dominated for large parts of play as the Wolves were all too often, guilty of coughing up possession in their own red zone.

With good field position the home side took full advantage to amass a 16-4 advantage.

IMBRL got back into the contest with a last tackle play as Nat Ashurst’s grubber caused problems for the home defence and the result eventually saw Jon Westwood collect for a try that Andy Hawley converted.

At that stage the visitors were well in with a shot but more errors allowed the Storm to cross again and it was they who went in at the break with a 22-10 lead.

The second-half was more of an even contest, but Storm more or less confirmed their victory with a converted try and two field-goals.

Liam O’Brien gave the Wolves hope with 7 minutes remaining with a try that Hawley goaled from the touchline but it was too little too late for the rusty Wolves who still remain in mid-table with a number of games in hand on their rivals.

Wolves: Liam O'Brien, Matt Lawton, Stephen Lenihan, Jonathan Knight, Tom Mahoney, Andy Hawley, Karl Case, John Williams, Kyle Holcroft, Neil Ashurst, Jon Westwood, Gareth Edwards, Mark Moore. Subs: Nat Ashurst, Dave Heathwood, John Spreadbury, Paul Arnison.