Warriors Wheelchair defeated at Magic

• Match Report as Wigan Warriors Wheelchair were defeated by Halifax Panthers in Magic Round.
• Wigan tries came from Norris, D.Roberts, Heggie, Wooloff and Rigby.
• FT | Halifax Panthers Wheelchair 62-28 Wigan Warriors Wheelchair.

University of Birmingham was the host for Round 3 of the Betfred Wheelchair Super League this weekend, with all six teams venturing to the Midlands for the first of four Magic Rounds taking place this season.

A slow start by the Warriors allowed Fax to open up a lead within the first quarter of an hour. Two converted tries by Jeremy Bourson, plus a penalty from Rob Hawkins, put the Panthers 14-0 up.

Having finally settled into the game, Martin Norris got the Cherry & Whites on the board with a try in the left corner. Adding the extras, Declan Roberts narrowed the gap slightly.

Two further tries by Halifax late in the half, one from Hawkins and the other by Wayne Boardman, looked liked it’d given them a big advantage at the break, but Wigan had other ideas.

Firstly, Roberts was able to touch the ball down from close range to give his side a glimmer of hope, before he then supplied Jack Heggie with a long cut out pass that gave him an overlap in the left corner. Roberts converted both tires to take the half time score to 24-18.

Unfortunately, the late rally in the first half was negated by Fax as they initially slotted over a penalty, before running in five consecutive tries. Three in a row from Hawkins, were followed by tries from Bechara and Tom Martin, to open up a 32 point lead after an hour of play.

A slow start in both halves had now put the game out of reach, but Wigan still had something up their sleeves to show the travelling spectators. On the back of some quick play the balls and off the cuff handling, they were able to cross for two more tries through Matt Wooloff and Adam Rigby. Again, Roberts converted the first with ease, before he unfortunately hit the post with the second.

The final say went to Halifax as they sealed the victory with tries from Boardman and Kieron Johnson, both converted by Bechara. This made it 62-28 to the Panthers and a day to forget for Warriors.

Halifax Panthers: Wayne Boardman, Jeremy Bourson, Seb Bechara, Rob Hawkins, Tom Martin.

Interchanges: Jordan Holt, Nathan Holmes, Kieron Johnson, Tom Green.

Tries: Bourson (2), Hawkins (4), Boardman (2), Bechara, Martin, Johnson.

Goals: Hawkins (2/4), Boardman (2/4), Bechara (5/6).

Wigan Warriors: Martin Norris, Jack Heggie, Declan Roberts, Adam Rigby, Matt Wooloff.

Interchanges: Phil Roberts.

Tries: Norris, D.Roberts, Heggie, Wooloff, Rigby.

Goals: D.Roberts (4/5)