Lancashire Lynx 4 Wigan Warriors 52 WARRIORS scrum-half Shaun Edwards blasted a cup warning to his colleagues yesterday.

The influential scrum-half, playing his first game since recovering from a knee operation, admitted: "Hopefully we can't get much worse.

"We were very ragged and disjointed and we will have to be 100 per cent better against St Helens on Saturday.

"We have to do a lot of work in training this week. We will need all the guys fit. The team was very rusty today."

Edwards may have been a little over-critical of Wigan as they cruised home against lowly opposition. The friendly marked the first game of rugby since 1880 at Deepdale, the Lynx's new Preston home.

Wigan used the game as a practice match with several stars getting their first action of the year so it was not surprising they were a little ring rusty. The Warriors still managed to run in 11 tries through Terry O'Connor (2), Daryl Cardiss (2), Jason Robinson, Kris Radlinski, Neil,Cowie, Andy Johnson, Edwards, Shaun Long and Craig Murdock. Cardiss and Long each added two goals.

It was nice to see Robinson back on a rugby league field after his winter in union, but the lack of a work permit meant Va'aiaga Tuigamala missed out on the action, although officials says to renew it is only a formality.

New signing Stuart Lester had half a game and showed he is dangerous with the ball in his hands, while there were useful displays from O'Connor and Simon Haughton.

Lynx battled hard but were totally out of their depth against the Central Park star-studded outfit, but raised the biggest cheer of the day from the 3,716 crowd when Simon Smith crossed for his side's only score of the game. Wigan coach Graeme West was happy with the match saying: "We managed to give everybody half to three-quarters of a game. It wasn't meant as a game to show off our moves, we just wanted to work on the basics and to try and not make too many mistakes. We still have players to come in and the lads know what is necessary against St Helens."

WIGAN: Murray, Cardiss, Radlinski, Johnson P, Robinson, Wright, Edwards, Cowie, Cassidy, O'Connor, Haughton, Knowles, Johnson A. Subs: Lester (for Cowie HT), Talbot (for Johnson P 50), Gilmore (for Robinson 60), Long (for Haughton 60), Cotton (for Radlinski 67), Murdock (for Edwards 67).

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