Super League: Warrington Wolves 36-20 Salford Red Devils – Wire comeback maintains winning run

George Williams continued his fine form for Warrington Wolves this season and scored in their win over Salford Red DevilsWarrington (6) 36Tries: Currie, Ashton, Mikaele Thewlis, Williams, Dufty Goals: Ratchford 6Salford (20) 20Tries: Longstaff, Brierley, Sneyd Goals: Sneyd 4

Warrington put together a stunning second-half comeback to beat Salford Red Devils and maintain their winning start to the Super League season.

Ben Currie sent the Wire ahead before Ellis Longstaff, Ryan Brierley and Marc Sneyd put Salford 20-6 up at the break.

But Matty Ashton dived to the corner and Thomas Mikaele and Josh Thewlis both crossed as Warrington rallied.

George Williams and Matt Dufty both got on the scoresheet as Warrington’s 30 second-half points went unanswered.

Warrington came into the fixture off the back of morale-boosting wins against Leeds and Huddersfield which put them top of the formative table.

Their thumping start to the campaign, in stark contrast to a miserable 2022 season, seemed set to continue when Currie chased down a trademark kick from Williams to send them ahead.

Salford struck back through a familiar face as Warrington loanee Longstaff latched onto Joe Burgess’ offload to cross the whitewash within just 11 minutes of his Red Devils debut.

The visitors were not done there, with Brierley running in from 70 metres for Salford’s second while Sneyd darted over for their third just four minutes later. His fine work with the boot made sure they went in at half-time with a 14-point lead.

Ashton’s impressive acrobatic dive to the line just two minutes after the restart helped the Wire begin to claw down the deficit and he should have had a second were it not for some supreme defending from Brodie Croft to hold him up on the line.

Warrington’s stunning comeback was aided by Ryan Brierley being sent to the bin for holding Josh Drinkwater just before the hour mark and Mikaele made the man advantage count as he crossed just a minute later.

The hosts should have strolled in for another just moments later but Dufty spilled the ball from Daryl Clark’s delivery and knocked on as he raced towards the line, but the Wire continued to turn up the pressure.

Williams sent in a brilliant long-range kick to the corner which was well chased and touched down by Thewlis. A fracas followed, sparked by Tyler Dupree crashing into him as he went over.

Salford were penalised, with Warrington awarded an eight-point try, but Ratchford missed his initial conversion before successfully kicking the penalty which followed, and Williams sent them eight points ahead when he crashed over shortly before Brierley returned to the field.

With five minutes remaining, Warrington were awarded another eight-point try as Kallum Watkins was judged to have made contact with Dufty’s head in the process of him going over, with Ratchford’s accurate kicking this time around wrapping up a win to remember.

Warrington: Dufty, Thewlis, Minikin, Ratchford, Ashton, Williams, Drinkwater, Mikaele, Clark, Vaughan, Currie, Mata’utia, Harrison.

Interchanges: Kasiano, Walker, Bullock, Whitehead.

Salford: Brierley, Sio, Cross, Lafai, Burgess, Croft, Sneyd, Ormondroyd, Ackers, Dupree, Watkins, Longstaff, Partington.

Interchanges: Sidlow, Vuniyayawa, Atkin, Wright.

Referee: Jack Smith.