Warrington beat Hull, maintain double hope

23 Sep 2012, 11:47 am   -   Source: AAP
Challenge Cup winners Warrington kept their hopes of a double alive with a 24-12 win over Hull. (AAP)

Challenge Cup winners Warrington kept their hopes of a double alive with a 24-12 win over Hull. (AAP)

Warrington remain a chance to score a double in English rugby league, beating Hull 24-12 in the Super League qualifying semi-final

Challenge Cup winners Warrington kept their hopes of a double alive with a 24-12 win over Hull in the Super League play-off qualifying semi-final on Saturday.

If Wigan choose Leeds as their semi-final opponents in Sunday's Clubcall announcement, Warrington will have the chance to avenge last week's home defeat by St Helens, although this time they will have to go to Langtree Park.

Former Wests Tigers fullback Brett Hodgson's 12-point haul was instrumental in Warrington's win, the 34-year-old's second-half try killing off any hopes the visitors had of upsetting the odds at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Also on the scoresheet was Trent Waterhouse, a 2003 NRL Grand Final winner with Penrith Panthers.

The 31-year-old capitalised on the loose ball to power his way over in the 13th minute.

Hull, Grand Finalists in 2006, were struggling to hold the rampaging Wolves and they fell further behind when Richie Myler crossed just before the break.

Hodgson was on hand to add the conversion and give the hosts a 12-0 half-time lead.

The Wolves were looking imperious and Stefan Ratchford added further gloss to the scoreline after picking up his own kick and touching down under the posts in the 55th minute.

The Black and Whites thought they had got a foothold in the match when Jamie Foster crashed over in the corner on the hour, but the centre dropped the ball before grounding.

That was to prove costly moments later when Hodgson gratefully received Myler's pass five metres out to all but end the contest before his fourth goal-kick of the game did just that.

Tom Briscoe and Ben Crooks added late consolation score for Hull but could not prevent Warrington joining Wigan and St Helens in the last four.

On Friday, Trent Robinson's time in Super League came to an end as his Catalan Dragons were sent packing by Leeds Rhinos 27-20.

Robinson, who will return to the Sydney Roosters to take over as head coach for the 2013 season, could only watch as Leeds, last season's Grand Final winners, stormed through to the semi-finals.

Clint Greenshields gave the Dragons an early lead when he forced his way over in the corner.

But Stevie Ward and Shaun Lunt scored two tries in as many minutes for the visitors.

Despite this set-back, wing Damien Blanch reduced the deficit to 14-12 just before half-time with Scott Dureau, who missed an earlier conversion attempt, adding the extras.

Dragons capitalised on this momentum shift by scoring just after the break, Dureau sending Blanch clear for his second try.

Not to be outdone though, Leeds powered their way back in front when Carl Ablett latched on to Danny McGuire's neatly-placed kick and then England international McGuire got in on the act himself just a minute later.

There was still time for Thomas Bosc to reduce the arrears for the hosts.

But despite Dureau's second conversion of the game, Kevin Sinfield's fifth penalty and McGuire's drop goal ensured Robinson ended his Dragons tenure without silverware.

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