Brian Noble: I’m not complaining about Richard Mathers' dismissal

Mar 10 2008 by Our Correspondent, Liverpool Daily Post

WIGAN coach Brian Noble admitted he had no argument with the dismissal of full-back Richard Mathers in his side’s 32-20 engage Super League defeat at Warrington.

The former Leeds Rhinos and Gold Coast Titans player became the first man to be sent off in Super League XIII when he was red-carded by referee Steve Ganson for a high tackle on Australian Test centre Matt King on 49 minutes.

“It probably took the game away from us with that decision but I’m not complaining,” said Noble.

“Richard has been in to see Matt King and apologised. He’s a very clean player who has never been sent off before.”

The game was held up for six minutes while King received treatment on the pitch for concussion before being carried off on a stretcher.

“He’s not too well,” said Warrington coach Paul Cullen. “Steve Ganson had a perfect view and it was the right decision.”

Mathers, who was playing only his fifth game since returning to Super League from a stint in Australia’s National Rugby League, will face the threat of suspension when he appears before the League’s disciplinary panel tomorrow.

And he could have some company at Red Hall if the League’s match review panel decide to cite team-mates Trent Barrett and Phil Bailey for an alleged ‘spear’ tackle on Warrington winger Paul Johnson, which was put on report.

Wigan had lost on all five of their previous visits to the Halliwell Jones Stadium, including last year’s painful Challenge Cup semi-final, and they never looked like ending their hoodoo in front of a capacity crowd of 13,024.

The Wolves, who dropped promising winger Kevin Penny, never looked back after Jon Clarke and Michael Monaghan combined to get loose forward Vinnie Anderson striding through a yawning gap in the visitors’ defence for the first of their six tries after only three minutes.

King and Rob Parker also touched down as Warrington led 16-4 at half-time and they clinched their fourth win in five matches when Martin Gleeson and Johnson added tries while the visitors were down to 11 men, with Michael McIlorum in the sin bin for a professional foul.

“It was a really tough win and we’re delighted with it,” added Cullen. “We held our composure and our discipline sufficiently to control the game when we needed to.”

Wigan struck back in the final quarter with tries from Andy Coley – his first for the club – Daryl Goulding and Harrison Hansen to give the scoreline a touch of respectability.

“We suffered from a poor start,” said Noble. “We gave ourselves too much to do.

“But we didn’t give in when we down to 12 men and 11 at one stage. You could see the effort and that is pleasing. We stuck in there and finished on a high.”

YESTERDAY

ENGAGE SUPER LEAGUE: Wakefield (16) 22. Tries: Atkins 2. Goals: Brough 5. Hull K R (8) 20. Tries: Murrell, Vella, J. Webster. Goals: Murrell 3, J. Webster. Att: 8,822

CARNEGIE CHALLENGE CUP THIRD ROUND: Wilderspool Bank Quay 6 Hunslet 36; Batley 42 East Hull 10; Celtic Crusaders 58 Lokomotiv Moscow 10; Keighley 14 Toulouse 17‘. Tries: Villegas, Almarcha, Gout. Goals: Bennet, Clayton. Drop Goals: Clayton. Att: 642 ; Leigh 66 Featherstone Lions 0; Rochdale 50 York Acorn 8; Wath Brow 14 Swinton 40; Widnes (28) 60. Tries: Dodd 2, Duffy, Beswick, Gaskell 2, Patterson 3, Donoghue, Crookes. Goals: Dodd 8. Skirlaugh (18) 18. Tries: Abel, S. Smith, Hannath. Goals: Precious 3. Att: 7,510 ; York 12 Halifax 34

SATURDAY

ENGAGE SUPER LEAGUE: Catalans Dragons 18 Bradford 20; Harlequins RL 24 Huddersfield 0; Warrington (16) 32. Tries: V. Anderson, King, Parker, M. Gleeson, Johnson, Hicks. Goals: Briers 4. Wigan (4) 20. Tries: Colbon, Coley, Goulding, Hansen. Goals: Richards 2. Att: 13,024

Carnegie Challenge Cup Third Round: Blackpool 16 Featherstone 23; Gateshead 24 SM PIA 26; Leeds Met 16 Doncaster 44; Leigh MR 14 Whitehaven 40; London Skolars 20 Queens 8; Wigan St Patricks 14 Workington 50