Wigan into semis after Patton misses late chance

Warrington 26 Wigan 27

Declan Patton missed a late drop goal as Wigan beat Warrington to reach the Challenge Cup semi-finals.

Warrington had two opportunities at least to take the game into goldenpoint extra-time as Stefan Ratchford missed a penalty from halfway before Patton’s drop goal from far closer missed to the left of the posts. Wigan had led 18-12 thanks to two tries from Joe Burgess and another for Liam Marshall. Warrington, however, hit back, with Ryan Atkins scoring twice and Andre Savelio and Kurt Gidley also crossing.

John Bateman scored another for Wigan as both sides recorded four tries apiece but the difference between the sides was a drop goal from Sam Tomkins, who was returning from injury. That set up the dramatic finish and it seemed Warrington had missed their chance when Ratchford’s penalty went wide, only for the hosts to get one more opportunity when Wigan sent their kick-off straight into touch.

That one chance fell to Patton but, under heavy pressure from the onrushing Warrington defence, he sent his drop goal – which would have taken the game to extra-time – wide to spark scenes of delirium at the away end.

Runaway Super League leaders Castleford visit Hull today in the last of the quarter-finals. Daryl Powell, the Castleford coach, said: “This is a oneoff game, a knockout. Hull are the holders, they are at home and you’d think they’d be slight favourites.”