Wolves sign off with a win

Warrington finished the season with a 34-26 win at doomed Salford, but missed out on a spot in the play-offs with Wigan avoiding defeat in their crunch clash with local rivals St Helens.

The first half at The Willows was a ding-dong affair, but the Wolves pulled away in the second period before Salford restored some respectability late on.

It brought an end to a miserable campaign for the Reds, but Paul Cullen will be pleased with the display of his depleted side.

The Wolves started purposefully and moved ahead inside two minutes as winger Henry Fa'afili - bound for Harlequins next term - powered over for a farewell try after collecting a smart long pass from Lee Briers.

Salford were back on terms on the quarter hour mark as, following an initial break from Jon Wilshere, Malcolm Alker and David Hodgson combined to good effect to create the chance for Richie Barnett to score against his former club.

Warrington regained the lead when Chris Bridge jinked his way over, but the same player then blotted his copybook as he spilt from the restart to set up the scrum from which Jordan Turner eased over under the posts, allowing Wilshere to kick the extras to make the score 10-10.

Again the visitors restored their advantage when Gleeson released Ben Westwood, but once again the lead did not last as Stefan Ratchford's well-judged cross-field kick allowed Barnett to steal in for his second of the night - Wilshere's successful conversion edging the hosts ahead for the first time.

However, the Wolves ensured they went in ahead at the break as debutant Lee Mitchell capped an impressive overall showing by bulldozing over from close range allowing Briers to extend the advantage to 20-16.

Cullen's men then took a stranglehold on proceedings as Westwood provided a fitting climax to a fine passing move to claim his second of the night with a conversion and subsequent penalty from Briers seeing his side ease 28-16 ahead.

Paul Rauhihi put the game beyond Salford on 64 minutes as he crashed over for another converted try, but Salford did at least say goodbye to Super League with a couple of tries of their own with Kevin McGuiness helping himself to two scores to add respectability.

Salford (16) 26
Tries: Barnett 2, Turner, McGuinness 2. Goals: Wilshere 3
Warrington (20) 34
Tries: Fa'afili, Bridge, Westwood 2, Mitchell, Rauhihi
Goals: Briers 5
Att: 5,152