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Rugby League

Wolves stay in playoff race after win

09/07/2006

Warrington Wolves moved into fifth place in Super League after a narrow 30-26 win over Huddersfield Giants at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Paul Cullen's side led 22-4 at halftime after four tries in a dominant ten-minute spell after Kevin Brown crossed the line to put the visitors had gone ahead.

Kiwi winger Henry Fa'afili, two tries from standoff Simon Grix and fullback Stuart Reardon all crossed before the break as the Wolves attempted to bring to an end a run of five straight defeats.

Fa'afili and compatriot Toa Kohe-Love added further tries for the hosts but the Giants responded with from Kevin Brown, Chris Thorman and two from Andy Raleigh to setup a grand-stand finish.

The victory kept the Wolves on course for the playoffs, moving them above Salford on points difference while Huddersfield are set for a relegation dogfight as they lie two points off bottom-placed Catalan Dragons, who along with fellow strugglers Wigan are exempt from relegation.

Coach Paul Cullen said afterwards he was pleased to end the run of bad results.

He said: "It doesn't put the last five games right, but we have blooded some youngsters and some senior players are carrying the weight for a few."

Warrington centre Martin Gleeson, said his team cannot afford to be complacent despite the hard-fought win.

"We have had a tough month and we needed this, especially in front of our home crowd," he said.

"We have dug in and it has paid off. It gives us a bit of breathing space but we have got to kick on from this."

But the Wolves have major injury worries for their playoff push with hooker Jon Clarke today ruled out for up to three months with a shoulder injury.

He joins Paul Rauhihi, Mark Gleeson and Logan Swann on the sidelines.

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