Rugby League: Change of Air lifts London

Warrington 14 London Broncos 23

LONDON OVERCAME a sluggish start to win at Wilderspool and confirmed themselves as the best of the rest - the team outside the top five with the strongest chance of forcing their way into the play-offs.

It was a change of Air that was responsible. The London stand-off, Glen Air, was implicated in both Warrington's early tries, but was then a key man in the Bronco's stirring revival.

"I had the big hook ready to take him off after the first 10 minutes," said his coach, Tony Currie. He was glad that he resisted that temptation, because, along with the old heads, Shaun Edwards and Terry Matterson, Air gave the game a fresh look after that disastrous beginning.

Warrington's opening was nothing short of inspired. Within the first four minutes of his first-team debut, David Highton was planting the ball over the line, the 18-year-old hooker, pressed into service as an emergency full-back, profiting from deft juggling by Mike Wainwright after Adam Doyle had broken through Air's tackle.

Equally spectacular play produced their second, four minutes later, Steve McCurrie bursting thorough this time and throwing a marvellous pass to hit Jason Roach at full speed. The winger just made it to the corner and although Lee Briers could not duplicate his earlier conversion he soon added a penalty to stretch Warrington's lead to 12.

Air's evening then began to improve rapidly. In partnership with Edwards, he cut Warrington to pieces as London repaired all the initial damage. First Edwards sent Air in for a try, before the Australian stand-off reciprocated and Matterson's penalty, on top of his two conversions, put the Bronco's in the lead. Six-minutes from half-time, John Timu scythed through on the right and there was an air of inevitability that it would be Air there again in support to take the inside pass for a try that left Matterson an another easy two points.

The second half never matched the cut and thrust of the first, with the only points coming from a penalty apiece and a Matterson drop goal.

Three times Warrington probed down London's vulnerable right flank only to come away empty handed. Roach dropped the ball crossing the line when he and McCurrie repeated their combination, Michael Eagar passed into touch with Roach free outside him and Rob Smyth snuffed out their last chance when he cleared Eagar's kick from behind his own line.

Warrington: Highton; Fawcett, Rodd, Eager, Roach; Doyle, Briers; Hilton, Farrar, Nutley, McCurrie, Tuuta, Wainwright. Substitutes used: Chambers, Duffy, Pechy, Stevens.

London Broncos: Toshack; Smyth, Timu, Tullett, Ryan; Air, Edwards; Young, Beazley, Carroll, Gill, Retchless, Matterson. Substitutes used: Spencer, Dunford, Salter, Millard.

Referee: R Connolly (Wigan).