Wakefield Trinity secured a hard‑earned 25‑18 triumph over the Warrington Wolves in the second‑to‑last round of the Super League campaign, with the match unfolding at the DIY Kitchens Stadium. The win keeps Daryl Powell’s side alive in the chase for a top‑three finish, narrowing the gap to Warrington to just two points.
After the fixture, Warrington sit on 38 league points, while Wakefield have moved to 36, occupying fourth place. For the Wolves, the next round presents a must‑win scenario against Toulouse Olympique if they are to cement third spot. Their half‑time lead of 14‑6 was built on two penalty goals from Leon Hayes and tries by Josh Smith and Matty Ashton, with Hayes successfully converting the latter. Wakefield responded before the break through Tom Johnstone’s try, with Max Jowitt adding the conversion to edge ahead 6‑4.
The second half belonged to Wakefield. Isaiah Vagan crossed the line twice in quick succession, Cam Scott added another try, and Mason Lino slotted a drop‑goal. Max Jowitt continued his flawless kicking, converting both Vagan scores and the Scott try. Warrington’s only reply was a solo, unconverted effort by Albert Hopoate, which proved insufficient to overturn the deficit.
The contest was essentially a battle for third and fourth place, and the physical nature of the game reflected the stakes. Early on, both sides exchanged possession and territory with little interference.
In the 10th minute, Hayes opened the scoring with a penalty, putting the visitors ahead 2‑0. Three minutes later another penalty, awarded for a late hit on the ball, saw Hayes extend the lead to 4‑0. Wakefield broke the deadlock in the 28th minute when a penalty gave them a chance from the left. Tom Johnstone stepped up, out‑maneuvered Josh Smith and touched down.
Max Jowitt’s conversion nudged Trinity into a 6‑4 lead. With just over five minutes left in the first half, Warrington struck back.
A slick move to the right, initiated by George Williams, saw Smith score a try, but Hayes missed the conversion from the touchline, leaving the Wolves with a narrow 8‑6 advantage. Warrington were not finished. Further territorial pressure allowed Williams to unleash a superb grubber kick, which Matty Ashton leapt onto in the corner. Hayes converted, and the Wolves entered the break with a 14‑6 lead.
The second half belonged to the home side. Isaiah Vagan powered over twice in rapid succession, exploiting gaps close to the line. The first came after a break by Hall that set up Johnstone, while the second followed a lengthy run that forced the defense to collapse. Max Jowitt added the four points from the conversions, swinging the score to 18‑14 in Wakefield’s favour.
Warrington answered with a corner try by Albert Hopoate, but Hayes’ conversion attempt went wide, leaving the scores level with about fifteen minutes remaining. Tension mounted as both sets of supporters filled the stadium with nervous anticipation.
The deadlock was broken when Cam Scott barreled over from a goal‑line dropout, catching Toby King off‑guard. Jowitt, still perfect with his boot, added the conversion, pushing Trinity ahead by six points with under ten minutes to play. The Wolves pressed, but errors and missed opportunities hampered them.
Mason Lino then slotted a drop‑goal, sealing the win for Wakefield and handing Warrington their seventh defeat of the season. In other Super League action on Saturday, York Knights staged a comeback to defeat Catalans Dragons 28‑16 at Stade Gilbert Brutus.
The Dragons, who had snapped a four‑match losing streak with a 34‑6 victory at Castleford the previous week, opened the scoring early when Leo Darrelatour burst down the right wing in the fourth minute. A patient build‑up later saw Darrelatour score his second try in the 17th minute, with Guillermo Aispuro‑Bichet converting.
York answered in the 20th minute as Oliver Field powered over, and soon after, David Nofoaluma finished a looping pass from Cody Hunter. Darrelatour reclaimed the lead for Catalans before half‑time, completing a hat‑trick just before the break to make it 16‑12. The second half saw a controversial moment when Julian Bousquet’s try was disallowed after a video review. Liam Harris then gathered a loose ball in the 52nd minute and sprinted nearly 80 metres to the try‑line, with Hunter’s conversion nudging York ahead 18‑16.
The momentum stayed with the Knights, and Scott Galeano added a fourth try shortly after the hour mark, following slick cross‑field passing. With seven minutes left, Jesse Dee was sin‑binned for pulling back Aispuro‑Bichet, who was attempting to chase his own kick.
York held firm, and Paul Vaughan capped the performance with a final try, securing a hard‑earned victory. All Super League fixtures this season are broadcast live on Sky Sports, with two matches each round shown exclusively live. The remaining five games per round are available via Sky Sports+.