Delighted Matt Peet hailed Wigan's stunning effort after the holders shrugged off Kaide Ellis' red card to dump "crazy" Warrington out of the Betfred Challenge Cup.
The Aussie prop, 26, was sent off inside just SEVEN minutes for headbutting Wolves captain Stefan Ratchford. But the inspired hosts dug deep, produced an immense defensive effort against the joint-Super League leaders and were worthy winners as they set up a semi-final clash with Hull KR.
Boss Peet enthused: “I’m proud of the team. They showed huge commitment and endeavour and that’s what we asked for all week. I didn’t ask how he (Ellis) was feeling, but I told him how I was feeling: what I said was totally supportive and I’m really pleased how we didn’t let that (red card) affect us. It was a very dramatic game, and in the end, the hard work of the lads paid off.”
Error-ridden Warrington saved their worst display of the year for the biggest day as they continually imploded with a series of basic handling mistakes. Yet they thought they had rescued it with a late rally but Josh Thewlis’ was denied a 79th minute try when Pete Mata’utia’s pass was ruled forward. It summed up their day. And no one could argue brilliant Wigan didn’t deserve victory.
That said, Ellis’ moment of madness was totally pointless. Warriors had shown great defensive energy to push Connor Wrench back behind his own goalline and force a dropout. But in the aftermath, Ellis waded over to Ratchford and shoved the ex-England centre. Matters escalated and as they came together the ex-Penrith prop - banned for five games last year after being sent off for fighting at Catalans - butted his opponent, busting Ratchford’s nose. Ellis was listed at loose forward, Peet dropping England’s Morgan Smithies to the bench to get fit-again England prop Ethan Havard back in the side but it badly backfired.
However, his side rose to the challenge of being down a man and took the lead in the tenth minute. Ironically, it was England centre Toby King - on a season-long loan from Warrington - who touched down after Wigan failed to deal with Harry Smith’s kick. Smith converted and added a penalty as error-ridden Wolves coughed up ball after ball. They made 12 errors in the first half alone and barely had an attacking chance of note.
Instead, Powell’s side were thankful to Thewlis after the winger made one try-saving tackle on Liam Marshall and then crucially denied Liam Farrell when the Wigan captain looked set to score. Wigan’s effort was all the more remarkable given they lost Havard and Jake Wardle to HIAs in the first half, England centre Wardle leaving with a gushing wound after clashing heads with Warrington prop Joe Bullock who also needed treatment.
All three did return and - after the visitors started the second half with three more handling mistakes - Bullock crashed over in the 54th minute to finally get them up and running. Ratchford converted but just four minutes later, King ushered Abbas Miski over in the corner for Smith to improve. Wolves full-back Matt Dufty had an effort ruled out for double movement in the 70th minute but three minutes later Sam Kasiano palmed George Williams’ kick down for Thewlis to score, Ratchford’s conversion setting up a tense finish.
Dufty’s brilliant kick return saw them in a great spot only for Ben Currie to spill trying to get to his feet but they had one last chance which Mata’utia bombed. Powell bemoaned: “At half-time, I thought ‘what have we done to ourselves?’ It was crazy - complete carnage - what we were doing, dropping the ball constantly against a team with 12 men who led 8-0.
"Throughout all the carnage, we were a forward pass away from winning the game. But it was a poor performance and we have to bounce back quickly because we only have one competition to aim for now. We need to put that in the bin pretty quickly."
Betfred Challenge Cup men’s semi-finals: York Knights/Leigh Leopards v St Helens, Hull KR v Wigan.
Women’s semi-finals: Wigan v Leeds, St Helens v York.
To be played as men’s/women’s double-headers on Saturday, June 22 and Sunday, July 23.
