Warrington Hold Back York To Maintain 100% Start

6 March 2026


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York (18) 30


Tries: Jones-Bishop, Balmforth, Mata'afa, Vaughan, Harris Goals: Richardson 5


Warrington (22) 38


Tries: Stone 2, Thewlis 2, Taylor-Wray, Williams, Currie Goals: Sneyd 5


Warrington Wolves maintained their 100% start to the Super League season by holding off a spirited York Knights side in an electrical high-scoring encounter.


The 30-38 scoreline consisted of 12 tries shared between the sides, with a manic 40-point first half.


Josh Thewlis and Sam Stone probably made the distinction for the visitors, contributing a set of attempts each.


There was an unique minute for Ben Currie too, who scored his 100th shot for Warrington in the second half.


The Wolves moved level with Wigan Warriors at the top of the table on 6 points, with York in ninth having actually won 2 out of their four games up until now.


With a quarter of an hour on the clock, it looked as though the first Super League conference in between these two sides would be a very one-sided affair.


Stone, Thewlis and the excellent Cai Taylor-Wray gave the visitors the ideal start with 3 quick ratings, as the Wolves two times barged through the home defence either side of Taylor-Wray gathering a neat pass to discuss in the corner.


Fifteen minutes later on, Warrington, incredibly, discovered themselves behind following a storming revival from the home side.


Ben Jones-Bishop got the Knights on the board, before Denive Balmforth discussed following clever hands from full-back Tom Mata'afa, who scored a shot of his own minutes later on to finish the turnaround.


The lead altered hands again minutes later on, his 2nd shot to send the Wolves in 22-18 at the break.


The 2nd half mirrored the very first, as the hosts came out of the traps slower than their more skilled Super League challengers. George Williams crossed to score before Currie brought up his century of shots for Warrington, from under the posts.


Still the hosts declined to accept defeat, as Paul Vaughan, against his previous side, and Liam Harris claimed attempts to bring the Knights within 2 points of their opponents.


Thewlis went over once again with 10 minutes to go, and Marc Sneyd transformed the bonus as the Wolves saw out victory.


They return to action at Goole Vikings in the Challenge Cup on Saturday, 14 March, while York face Keighley Cougars in the very same competitors.


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'We anticipate better from ourselves' - reaction


York head coach Mark Applegarth informed BBC Radio York:


"Fair play to Warrington, congratulations to them. They began actually strong in both halves and we got captured.


"I was truly pleased with the spirit we revealed and how we got back into it, however there were some important lessons for us in all of that.


"If you score 30 points in a game, that need to suffice to win it, but I thought we left some soft checks out there.


"I thought we looked great on the front foot, but the momentum shifts at this level are massive, and these groups can publish some big ratings quite quickly.


"We're not here to be delighted losers so it does sting a bit that we got ourselves back into the video game and let it escape us once again. We anticipate better from ourselves."


York: Mata'afa; Jones-Bishop, Wood, Williams, Nofoaluma; Richardson, Harris; Martin, McShane, Vaughan, Field, Dee, Thompson.


Interchanges: Griffin, Balmforth, Va'a, Sangare.


Warrington: Taylor-Wray; Thewlis, King, Hopoate, Smith; Williams, Sneyd; Yates, Walker, Byrne, Harrison, Stone, Currie.


Interchanges: Powell, Sipley, Philbin, Tanginoa.