The top of the table awaited Warrington Wolves as they travelled south to take on the London Broncos in the knowledge that a victory by more than forty-four points would lift them to the top of the pile at the end of round five of Super League XXIX.

After their promotion at the end of last season the Broncos are still seeking their first win of 2024 as they look to clamber from the foot of the table, a loss by less more than ten points would see them drop back below the Castleford Tigers and into bottom spot.

The bookies and pundits couldn’t see past a win for the visitors with London being given a twenty-four-point start on the coupon.

Having forced a goal line drop-out and then a set restart the Wolves hit the front on just four minutes when Adam Holroyd crashed off a post pad into goal and forced the ball to the ground under the tackle for his first ever try, Stefan Ratchford added the conversion for a 6-0 lead.

On seven minutes Josh Thewlis found an acre of space down the right wing to take a miss out pass from Dufty to cross from ten metres out. Ratchford was on target from the touchline to make a great conversion for 12-0, the omens were bad for the home side.

Only four more minutes had passed before the Wolves were in again, Holroyd was in support to take a pass from Connor Wrench after the centre had bust through two weak tackles. Ratchford

On twenty-one the Broncos opened their account with Hakim Miloudi running the angle and grounding over the top of his tackler in the left corner. The London centre pulled the conversion just wide of the uprights, but London had stopped Warrington for ten minutes and broken their own duck.

A ninety-metre sprint from Matt Dufty, after picking an attacking Miloudi kick off his boot laces, saw Warrington get their fourth of the afternoon. Ratchford added the conversion for 24-4 on the half hour.

Forty seconds after the restart Josh Thewlis extended the Warrington lead after London had spilled the kick-off. There was plenty of space down the right for the winger to get their second of the afternoon. Ratchford added the touchline goal to bring up the thirty points.

It was again too easy for the Wolves as they scored again on forty-five, Dufty getting his second of the game on the last tackle after a fast play-the-ball allowed him to throw the dummy and run through a broken defensive line. Ratchford hit the mark again for 36-4.

Thewlis completed his hat-trick on fifty-one as he jinked past the last London defender to come inside and dive over. Ratchford added the conversion, his fortieth consecutive successful kick, and the Wolves were heading for the top of the table.

On the hour mark a Warrington kick was deflected into the hands of James Harrison for a simple walk-in try after wrongfooting the London defenders. Ratchford hit the mark again for 48-4.

A Sam Powell 40-20 gained ground for the visitors and on the third play Dufty walked through the defence for his hat-trick try to bring up the fifty for the Wolves. Ratchford had a chance to break the world record for consecutive kicks but he scuffed a simple one and his run was frozen at a record equalling forty-one, but Warrington were now top of the table on points difference.

The outstretched arm of Stefan Ratchford brought up the tenth try of the afternoon for the Wolves with just under ten minutes of the match remaining. He added the conversion to his own try, Warrington with a 58-4 lead.

A clinical Warrington performance against a pedestrian London Broncos pushed the Cheshire side to the top of Super League, above St Helens, Catalans Dragons and Wigan Warriors on points difference, and with next week being the Challenge Cup that is where they will stay until the start of the Easter weekend.

It was a torrid afternoon for the home side who despite showing passages of good play simply had no answer to the Warrington onslaught which saw they scoring tries at will to rack up a massive scoreline.

London Broncos: Walker, Kershaw, Bassett, Miloudi (T), Macani, Campagnolo, Meadows, Butler, Butterworth, Rogers, Lovell, Jones, Parata. Subs: Williams, Kennedy, Layland, Stock. 18th Man: Davis. 

Warrington Wolves: Dufty (3T), Thewlis (3T), King, Wrench, Ashton, Ratchford (T, 9G), Hayes, Harrison (T), Powell, Vaughan, Holroyd (2T), Philbin, Crowther.  Subs: Musgrove, Bullock, Whitehead, Wood. 18th Man: Nicholson.

Half-Time: 4-24.

Full-Time: 4-58.

Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, 0-10, 0-12, 0-16, 0-18, 4-18, 4-22, 4-24 : HT: 4-28, 4-30, 4-34, 4-36, 4-40, 4-42, 4-46, 4-48, 4-52, 5-56, 4-58 :FT.

Lead Exchanges: Warrington.

Referee: Liam Rush.