This was the night that Warrington Wolves should have been crowned minor premiers. A win would be enough to seal the deal and see the Wolves at the top of the pile for the first time since 2011. But Wigan had their own agenda, needing a win to maintain their chances of a top two finish and a home tie in the play offs.

The Wolves welcomed back Daryl Clark and Joe Westerman to the side who beat Widnes last round and the Warriors were unchanged from the side who beat Hull FC last weekend.

Hull FC fans were desperate for a Wigan win to give them a shot at the League Leaders Shield, but a packed Halliwell-Jones were there to create an electric atmosphere and cheer their side home.

It was a disastrous start for the home side when Lewis Tierney took a George Williams pass on an overlap left to score in the corner. To the Wolves relief Matty Smith failed to add the conversion but two minutes in they were trailing 4-0.

Wigan continued to take the game to the Wolves, retaining possession and giving the Wolves no room to play, and on eight minutes they took the option to kick a thirty metre penalty through Smith.

On nineteen another Smith penalty made it 8-0 from ten metres after Warrington interfered at the play the ball.

As the half wore on Warrington got increasing possession and position and on twenty-four Matty Russell grounded by the left corner flag off a long looping Declan Patton pass. Patton slid the ball wide of the uprights, failing to improve the scoreline.

On the half hour Stefan Ratchford was sin-binned for a flop on Tierney leaving his side down to twelve men until the interval. Despite being down on numbers the Wolves hit the cront on thirty-the when Kurt Gidley took a short pass from Toby King to go through a big gap to score, Patton aside the extras for 10-8.

Wigan's numerical advantage seemed to be their disadvantage as on thirty-five Chris Hill wove his way past three tacklers to score under the sticks giving Patton a simple conversion for 16-8, and a big turnaround for the twelve men.

Ten seconds from the hooter and Wigan got themselves a lifeline, and probably saved themselves from a Shaun Wane half time roasting, when Sam Tomkins managed to get over the line pushing through four Wolves tackles. Smith added the extras for 16-14 at the break.

On forty-five, and on the back of three consecutive penalties, Joe Westerman span out of five tackles to ground under the sticks. Patton kicked the extra two to restore the eight point lead.

Two more penalties from Wigan marched the Wolves downfield and when Chris Hill passed to Ben Currie the second-rower went on the angle to slide over, injuring himself in the act of scoring. Patton goaled and it was now an uphill task for Wigan at 28-14.

On fifty-seven Wigan appeared to have self destructed when Ben Flower hit Patton in the throat with his elbow, an age after he'd got the kick away, and he saw red from Mr Hicks.

Down to twelve men Wigan scored a length of the field try when Josh Charnley did brilliantly to beat two Wolves tacklers to ground one-handed in the corner. Smith was unable to convert from the touchline but the margin was down to ten points.

On sixty-three Tomkins was the provider to put Charnley in for his second. Rounding by the corner flag he improved the angle by twenty metres and Jake Shorrocks kicked the conversion for 24-28.

On seventy-two the scores were level when Tierney took a miss-out pass from Tomkins to ground right by the left corner flag. The video referee took an age to confirm the try but ruled in Wigan's favour. Shorrocks failed to convert leaving the sides all square at 28-28.

A seventy-fifth minute Matty Smith drop goal edged Wigan a single point ahead.

On seventy-eight it was all over when Anthony Gelling intercepted a wayward Toby King pass and went fifty metres to score under the sticks. Shorrocks added the extra and the lead was 35-28 to the Warriors.

A twelve man Wigan did the unthinkable, and came back from fourteen points behind to take the points off the Wolves and extended the quest for the league leaders shield until the last game of the season. This was to be Warrington's night and with twenty-three minutes left on the clock they were already placing an order for the 'Brasso', but a never-say-die performance from the Warriors secured a memorable victory.

Next Friday's clash between FC and the Wolves at the KCOM will decide the league leaders, and it should be a belter.

Wolves: Ratchford (SB), Russell (T), King T, Atkins, Evans, Gidley (T), Patton (4G), Hill (T), Clark, Sims, Currie (T), Hughes, Westerman (T). Subs: Wilde, King G, Dwyer, Philbin.

Warriors: Tomkins (T), Charnley (2T), Gelling (T), Sarginson, Tierney (2T), Williams, Smith (3G, DG), Nuuausala, Powell, Flower (SO), Bateman, Farrell, Isa. Subs: Crosby, Tautai, Sutton, Shorrocks (2G).

Referee: Robert Hicks.

Attendance: