Wigan prepare for Hull KR showdown with win at Warrington

Betfred Super League

Warrington (8) 18

Tries: Josh Thewlis, Williams, Jake Thewlis Goals: Sneyd 3

Wigan (6) 24

Tries: O'Neill, Farrimond 2, Farrell, Eckersley Goals: Smith 2

Wigan Warriors prepared for their top of the table Super League showdown against Hull KR by fighting back to beat Warrington.

The Wire led the reigning champions 8-6 at half time but were undone by a combination of errors, vulnerability under the high ball and a relentless Wigan drive in the second period.

Three tries after the break for Matt Peet's side, answered with a late consolation for Jake Thewlis, saw them run out 24-18 winners.

Defeat put a dent in Warrington's play-off hopes after they failed to close the four-point gap to Wakefield Trinity in sixth.

Second-placed Wigan will still fancy their chances of beating Hull KR to the League Leaders' Shield with two points now separating the pair, although that could return to four if Rovers beat Castleford on Saturday.

Whatever the gap, there is no doubt the Robins will be travelling to meet a Wigan side who are finally beginning to locate top gear with the regular season coming to the boil.

Wigan were behind early after Josh Thewlis intercepted Jai Field's pass, running it 90 metres after a quarter of an hour as Warrington took the lead.

Brad O'Neill went over from close range to level before Marc Sneyd's boot sent Wigan in trailing after Wire elected to kick a penalty in front of goal with three minutes of the half remaining.

Warrington nearly extended their lead further shortly after when a flowing move through Jake Thewlis and Toby King was finished off by Joe Philbin only for the try to be ruled out for a forward final pass.

Yet in the second half it was all Wigan with Warrington, minus regular full-back Matt Dufty who was left out for disciplinary reasons after missing training, looking vulnerable under the high ball and nervous with a succession of basic handling errors.

Jack Garrimond got the ball rolling on Wigan's improved second-half showing, finishing a move with a kick and collect via Zach Eckersley.

Eckersley then gained a second assist to put in Liam Farrell before taking centre stage himself, capitalising on a knock on from Warrington on 66 minutes.

Another error at the back by Warrington saw Kruise Leeming pounce to tee up Farrimond who added his second in the right corner as Wigan stretched out their lead to 24-12.

With time running out Warrington briefly threatened to set up a grandstand finish after Jake Thewlis' try and Sneyd's nerveless kick brought them to within six points.

But in a move that summed up their night, a knock-on on the ground as they charged to the halfway line with seconds to spare brought the curtain down on the fightback.

Warrington: Ratchford, Thewlis, Gardner, King, Williams, Sneyd, Yates, Powell, Vaughan, Stone, Fitzgibbon, Currie

Interchanges: Philbin, Matterson, Wood, Walker

Wigan: Field, Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall, Farrimond, Smith, Havard, O'Neill, Byrne, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis

Interchanges: Mago, Leeming, Dupree, Walters

Referee: Chris Kendall.