Lowes - massive win

Agar keen to find some form ahead of semi-final

Last updated: 29th June 2008

James Lowes Warrington coach

Lowes: crucial win

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Warrington coach James Lowes was understandably delighted with the 24-22 win at Hull that keep's his side in the play-off hunt.

The Wolves had trailed on four separate occasions during the match, before Australia Test centre Matt King scored and Chris Hicks added the extras from close to the touchline.

"This was a massive win, from last week and in its own right, coming here to Hull and getting the result," said Lowes, whose side lost to Catalans in France last weekend.

"It's a strange old game isn't it, there's probably only me and Chris who could have done that," joked Lowes afterwards.

"He slotted it like a Euro 2008 penalty. I know how Rich Agar will feel now because I've been there myself.

"I'm really pleased with our second half performance. I thought we were poor in the first half and turned too much ball over.

"But our defence was good and we did a lot of it, but it held up and helped us when we had more ball control in the second half. I know that it's an 80-minute game."

Praise

Lowes was also quick to praise his England duo of Martin Gleeson and Adrian Morley, both of whom played less than 48 hours after starring in the win over France.

"I started them on the bench with the obvious fact that they'd been in France and had a horrendous journey back.

"When they went on, I thought Adrian was a bit loose in the first half but tightened up in the second and Martin was fantastic.

"We played him at loose forward, he likes to play with the ball in his hand and he was fantastic.

Despite losing the game at the death, Hull coach Richard Agar admitted: "I thought ultimately we got what we deserved on our second half showing.

"I thought we should have got a bigger half-time lead, but we invited them back into it.

"We failed to accumulate any completions in the second half and even when we got to one minute, 45 on the clock to win it we came up with another incompletion. Seven from 14 tells its own story.

Confidence

"That's been par for the course this season. Off the top of my head we've had three defeats and a draw that have gone to the last two minutes of the game. Confidence comes from winning a string of games and some good performances and we haven't done that all year."

Agar is also demanding that his side find some consistent form going into their Challenge Cup semi-final with Wakefield in a month's time.

"It's vitally important that with a big game in a semi-final ahead that we get some form.

"I'd hate to think we are putting all our eggs in one basket and are waiting for that game, because what we won't do is just pluck a performance out on the day, we need to try to build our performances into that.

"I thought that we showed in the first half that we have plenty of promise, but our inability to go on and carry that through has come back to haunt us."