London win a thriller with
Warrington

London Broncos got off to a winning start with a 28-24 victory over Warrington Wolves in an exciting encounter at Griffin Park.

In an exciting game, London got off to a perfect start when Mark McLinden sprinted 30 metres before passing to Luke Dorn, who scampered behind the posts with 43 seconds on the clock.

Warrington hit back quickly as Mark Hilton bullied his way over from close range, but Lee Briers surprisingly hit the post with what for him was a routine conversion attempt.

Four minutes later, Paul Sykes failed to gather a kick and gifted possession to Warrington five yards from the London line.

The ball was fed to the right wing and Nathan Wood touched down in the corner. Briers added the extras to make it 10-6 to Warrington.

The Wolves then suffered a big blow when substitute Paul Wood was stretchered off with a serious ankle injury three minutes after having come on to the pitch.

Another defensive error by London gifted emergency prop Ben Westwood the next Wolves try. He only had to pick up the ball after Zeb Luisi made a hash of gathering a Briers grubber-kick and left the ball sitting on the tryline under the posts.

At 10 points down, London could have folded but instead they hit back to score the try of the game.

A 60-metre break down the left wing by Lee Hopkins tore apart the Warrington defence and his inside pass invited Sykes to touch down for a vital score.

London drew level after 44 minutes when Solomon Haumona crossed in the corner. Warrington regained the lead in the 50th minute when Martin Gleeson scored a fine individual try, bursting through three tackles before touching down.

Briers slipped as he took the conversion and the ball went horribly wide. This was probably the break London needed and they took the lead for good after 55 minutes. Dorn made a good break down the left centre channel and drew Brent Grose into the tackle.

He then released the influential McLinden, who was able to go behind the posts to made Sykes? conversion a formality.

London stretched the lead four minutes later when Rob Purdham went on a brilliant diagonal run and collected a neat inside pass from Thomas Leuluai before crossing for the Broncos? fifth try.

There was a sting in the tail as one would expect from such a competitive game as Gleeson took advantage of two London errors in their own quarter to score in the corner. Briers failed to add the conversion to leave the deficit at four points and London held on to win.

London: Lucky Luisi, Wells, Sykes, O?Halloran, Bradley-Qalilawa, Dorn, Leuluai, Tookey, McLinden, Trindall, Haumono, Hopkins, Purdham. Replacements: Stringer, Armour, Lolohea, Smith.

Warrington: Grose, Gaskell, Kohe-Love, M. Gleeson, Faa?fili, Briers, N. Wood, Leikvoll, M. Gleeson, Hilton, Swann, Wainwright, Clarke. Replacements: Westwood, P. Wood, Lima, Appo.

London: 28 (12) Tries: Dorn, Sykes, Haumono, McLinden, Purdham Goals: Sykes 4

Warrington: 24 (16) Tries: Hilton, N Wood, Westwood, M Gleeson 2 Goals: Briers 2