Warrington (22) 40
Tries: Evans, Briers, Myler, Riley, Grix, J Monaghan, Higham Goals: B Hodgson 6
Leeds (8) 24
Tries: Watkins, Webb, Hall 2 Goals: Sinfield 4

Joel Monaghan was one of seven try scorers for Warrington

Warrington underlined their credentials as Super League contenders with a high-scoring victory over Leeds.

Rhinos led 8-0 with a Kallum Watkins try and two Kevin Sinfield goals.

But Wolves hit back with 34 unanswered points thanks to tries from Rhys Evans, Lee Briers, Richie Myler, Chris Riley, Simon Grix and Joel Monaghan.

Leeds threatened a fightback through Brent Webb and Ryan Hall but Mickey Higham put the result beyond doubt before Hall grabbed a late consolation.

Warrington's third straight victory lifted them to second in the fledgling Super League table, while Leeds are seventh after a second successive defeat.

Such an impressive victory looked unlikely after the Rhinos began their quest for revenge following the 30-6 hammering by the Wolves in last season's Challenge Cup final by taking the lead when Lee Smith sent Watkins cantering over for the game's first try, Sinfield adding the conversion and a penalty.

But it was teenage centre Evans, making his full Super League debut, who helped Warrington seize the initiative by scoring his first try for the club and then sending Myler over.

In between those scores, Briers raced 40 metres to score after intercepting Weller Hauraki's attempted pass, and Wolves had a fourth try just before the break when Riley beat Watkins to Michael Monaghan's kick to the corner.

Grix wrong-footed the Leeds defence to grab his side's fifth try within 90 seconds of the start of the second half, before Briers engineered a try for Joel Monaghan, with Brett Hodgson's fifth successful conversion making it 34-8.

Webb gathered Sinfield's grubber kick to stem the flow of Warrington points before Hall grabbed another when Joel Monaghan failed to drop on a loose ball to threaten a dramatic fightback.

But the game was up when hooker Higham forced his way over from dummy half, leaving Leeds to have the final say when Sinfield converted Hall's late try.

Warrington coach Tony Smith:
"I'm very pleased. It was a good performance. We were up against a very good team two weeks running and sometimes you can be a bit flat after playing St Helens but I thought we looked sharp and fresh.

"I am delighted with their efforts in putting that many points on a team like Leeds."

Leeds coach Brian McDermott:
"We weren't good enough with the ball. We didn't hold onto it. We've got to concede we're not doing the basics well enough.

"I thought we were a bit better defensively - we had a bit more biff and bash about us this week - and we played against a team who were very good with the ball. You've got to give the Warrington attack a lot of credit.

"Warrington were outstanding in defence but we didn't attack their line in the first half."

Warrington: Hodgson; Riley, Blythe, Evans, J Monaghan; Briers, Myler; Morley, M Monaghan, Carvell, Westwood, Solomona, Harrison.
Replacements: Higham, Clarke, Wood, Grix.

Leeds: Webb; Smith, Watkins, Senior, Hall; Sinfield, Burrow; Burgess, Buderus, Jones-Buchanan, Lauitiiti, Hauraki, Ablett.
Replacements: Cross, Kirke, Clarkson, Jones-Bishop.

Attendance: 11,438.

Referee: Steve Ganson (St Helens).

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