Challenge Cup Video

Wolves move into semis

Two second-half tries from veteran Australian winger Chris Hicks kept holders Warrington on course for a return to Wembley with a 26-22 Carnegie Challenge Cup quarter-final win over Bradford at Odsal.

Experienced playmakers Lee Briers and Michael Monaghan, architects of the Wolves\' cup final triumph last August, again laid the victory platform while the finishing touches were applied by the 33-year-old Hicks, who is in his farewell season in Super League.

Hicks\' touches were crucial as Warrington held off a superb effort from a below-strength Bradford to join Leeds, St Helens and Catalans Dragons in Wednesday\'s semi-final draw.

The Bulls had scrum-half Matt Orford back after a three-match injury absence but, without Brett Kearney, Stuart Reardon, Jason Crookes and Jamie Langley, they were on the back foot from the start and quickly found themselves 12-0 down.

But Bradford, who gave a debut to 18-year-old Joe Wardle, played with plenty of spirit and no shortage of skill to push the holders all the way in a thoroughly entertaining tie.

Warrington were without New Zealand international forward Louis Anderson for personal reasons, but they enjoyed a dream start with a try from Briers after only two minutes.

However the Bulls were determined not to be blown away like Huddersfield, who were routed 60-4 by the Wolves in the last round.

Steve McNamara\'s men frittered away a host of chances against Leeds a week earlier and their failure to find the killer touch again threatened to be their undoing.

Winger Rikki Sheriffe broke clear with two men in support but Steve Menzies passed too early to James Donaldson and the Warrington cover got back to halt the danger.

The visitors demonstrated better finishing when the clever Briers got centre Ryan Atkins through a gap in the Bulls defence with an immaculately-timed pass for a second try and Chris Bridge\'s second goal made it 12-0.

But the Bradford fightback began when Sheriffe went over at the corner after taking a pass from full-back Dave Halley, who then supported a break down the middle from hooker Heath L\'Estrange and evaded Chris Riley\'s challenge to touch down.

Paul Sykes added one conversion to cut the gap to two points but the Wolves hit back instantly when Monaghan, man of the match in last year\'s final, broke clean through the first line of defence and sent the supporting Vinnie Anderson away to the posts.

The game was back in the balance by half-time, however, when Bradford centre Chris Nero scored straight from a scrum after Warrington conceded possession from Sykes\' re-start.

A tenuous 18-16 interval lead was extended by Hicks, who took Richards Mathers\' pass to cross unopposed at the corner for his first try, but play continued to flow from end to end.

Orford got to the line but was held on his back by his old Manly Sea Eagles team-mate Monaghan, and Hicks looked to have sealed the win when he won the race to Monaghan\'s kick, touching down with barely an inch to spare.

The action continued right to the final whistle, though, and Menzies rolled back the years with a solo try to set up a frenzied finish which saw the Wolves hanging on by the skin of their teeth.