Warrington Wolves 37-12 Hull FC: Jake Mamo's double sets up win
By Sky Sports Rugby League
Last Updated: 05/09/20 12:38am
Jake Mamo's tries either side of half-time helped Warrington Wolves make it four wins in a row since Super League's resumption as they saw off Hull FC 37-12 on Friday night.
It had been close-fought for much of the first half, but Mamo's converted try and Blake Austin's drop goal inside the final 10 minutes saw Warrington hold a 19-12 lead at the interval.
The Australian centre's second plus a try on debut for Leilani Latu and Austin's sixth of the campaign put the seal on the win after the break and sent the Wolves level on points with table-toppers St Helens and Wigan Warriors.
Hull had given new coach Andy Last his first win last weekend but a second defeat in three games cast them further adrift in their bid for a top-four finish.
Warrington were within their rights to call off the fixture after six players were told to self-isolate after coming into contact with a Wakefield Trinity player who tested positive for Covid-19 in their last match, while a seventh was forced to pull out after returning a positive test.
England international Gareth Widdop and co-captains Chris Hill and Jack Hughes were among the host of absentees for Price, who handed a debut to Tongan prop Latu and had academy graduates Ellis Robson and Ellis Longstaff on an inexperienced bench.
Widdop's place in the halves was taken by Dec Patton, who was placed on report by referee Ben Thaler nine minutes into his first appearance of the season following an allegation of biting brought by Hull forward Ligi Sao.
It was the only sour note for Warrington, who have emerged from the lockdown as one of the form teams.
Yet Hull, who had Jake Connor at scrum-half in place of the injured Marc Sneyd, made a dream start, with centre Josh Griffin taking full-back Jamie Shaul's pass to cross for a second-minute try, which was converted by Connor.
Shaul then pulled off a last-ditch tackle to deny Warrington stand-off Austin but could only watch as prop Mike Cooper used his brute force to crash over for an equalising try.
The Wolves went in front midway through the first half when Hull centre Carlos Tuimavave dropped the ball from Austin's high kick and full-back Matty Ashton pounced for his side's second try.
It was level once more when Tuimavave took Albert Kelly's short pass to breach the Warrington line and Connor converted his try but the Wolves struck four minutes before the break when Mamo scythed his way through for his first try.
Ratchford kicked his third conversion and Austin added a drop goal on the stroke of half-time to extend Warrington's lead and there was no way back for Hull when Mamo won the race to second rower Ben Currie's delicate kick to the line to claim his second try.
Ratchford, playing out of position at loose forward, kicked his 1,000th point for the club to stretch his side's lead to 25-12, while the dangerous Mamo was also heavily in the move which saw the impressive Cooper put Latu over for a try on his first appearance in Super League midway through the second half.
Hull had their moments in the second half but could not penetrate a well-drilled defence and Warrington demonstrated their superior finishing when Daryl Clark got Austin through a gap for their sixth try, which was converted by Patton.