On a pitch which was probably more suitable for Turkish mud wrestling than Rugby Union, Warrington showed deft handling skills but were eventually beaten by the dour pragmatism of a bulky Dukinfield side. Warrington ruled the lines, were on top in the set scrums, where Thompson took five strikes against the head, and enjoyed superiority in the backs but were unable to convert their advantages into points and leaked two tries in the second half to lose a game they could so easily have won.

Warrington opened the scoring in the first quarter when Newens kicked a good penalty. Dukinfield replied with a penalty of their own and made the half time score 3-3.

The second half saw Warrington’s strong pack increasingly dominant. With Fields ruling the line outs and with Thompson in control of the set scrums, Warrington seemed set for eventual victory. Warrington’s backs were also showing off their skills, with some superb handling, especially through McNair. It was somewhat against the run of play when Dukinfield scored their first try from a scrum 40 yards out, when their speedy open side wing forward picked up and scorched over. The try was converted with a superb kick.

Warrington still continued to apply pressure through their talented back line but Dukinfield tackled well, as is to be expected by a side which was formerly coached by England’s defensive coach, Mick Ford. When the home side was reduced to fourteen men when their blind side wing forward was dismissed for a gratuitous attack on Warrington prop Mike Hadden, the odds seemed to have shifted in Warrington’s favour but Dukinfield sealed the result in the last ten minutes when they touched down after a take and drive and their impressive stand-off converted in the difficult conditions. Particularly outstanding for Warrington was wing forward Jayesh Kerai.