WARRINGTON fans will be asking for a re-brand every week.

Tony Smith’s side were certainly ‘hardwired’ for Wigan’s visit on Thursday, and be it The Wire or Wolves this was arguably their best performance of the season.

The circumstances looked to have written Wolves off, heading into Round 20 in mixed Super League form and almost able to name a side from injuries and suspension.

But there is something about the big games for Warrington that has seen them rise to the challenge this year, twice against Leeds and again on Thursday.

The game seemed to move in slow motion as Richie Myler did his best Lionel Messi impression in grubbering past a defender in a dribble-like fashion before dinking the bouncing ball over Matty Bowen.

The full back could only stand and admire as Myler caught his own outside-of-the-boot flick and touched down to open the scoring, but the precedent was already set.

A huge defensive effort was evident throughout The Wire’s performance, while the likes of Bennie Westwood, Ashton Sims and Chris Hill smashed holes in Wigan’s line.

This was a Warrington side perhaps buoyed by the Challenge Cup quarter-final win five days earlier and playing with a rare confidence when ball was in hand.

That was in contrast to Wigan, who continued to rack up errors on the greasy surface and saw Taulima Tautai drop the ball four times in the second half.

He was allowed to continue despite appearing dazed by a collision with George King’s shoulder.

Wolves lost King to an elbow injury as a result of that hit, but they had more youthful exuberance to call upon.

With Joe Philbin, socks rolled down and hair akin, already showing experience belying his years, in came Sam Wilde for a superb debut.

Wolves deserved a 13-0 half-time lead after Ryan Atkins crossed and Gareth O’Brien dropped a goal, but rode their luck when Joe Burgess was denied by Kevin Penny’s boot.

O’Brien dummied his way over for a third, and Wigan had barely entered the hosts’ half after the break before Dom Manfredi’s reply.

With a shuffled pack, Stefan Ratchford in at centre, Matty Russell returning at full back and Daryl Clark having a spell at loose forward, it was a hardwired spirit that won out at The Halliwell Jones.

Match facts

Super League Round 20, Thursday, July 2, 2015

Warrington Wolves...17 Wigan Warriors...6

Wolves: Matty Russell; Gene Ormsby, Stefan Ratchford, Ryan Aktins, Kevin Penny; Gareth O’Brien, Richie Myler; Daryl Clark, Chris Hill, Ashton Sims, Ben Westwood, Joe Philbin. 
Subs: Brad Dwyer, Roy Asotasi, George King, Sam Wilde.

Wigan: Matty Bowen; Dom Manfredi, Anthony Gelling, Dan Sarginson, Joe Burgess; George Williams, Matty Smith; Dom Crosby, Michael McIlorum, Ben Flower, Joel Tomkins, Liam Farrell, Ryan Sutton. 
Subs: Sam Powell, Lee Mossop, Taulima Tautai, Larne Patrick.

Scoring: Myler try, 12mins, O’Brien goal, 6-0; Burgess try ruled out, 29mins, 6-0; O’Brien drop goal, 37mins, 7-0; Atkins try, 39mins, O’Brien goal, 13-0; O’Brien try, 52mins, 17-0; Manfredi try, 56mins, Bowen goal, 17-6.

Penalties: Wolves 6 Wigan 5

Referee: Ben Thaler

Attendance: 10, 504

Top man: Ben Westwood

Sam Wilde's Warrington debut

Kevin Penny made his 150th career appearance. 

Penny has played 59 games in two spells with Wolves, as well as Widnes (22), Harlequins (5), Wakefield (5), Swinton (54) and North Wales Crusaders (4).

Chris Hill's 35th consecutive SL game

WATCH: Richie Myler's wonder try