The 11-try success in the curtain-raiser to the Super League match between the two clubs was Warrington’s fifth straight win at the season’s start.
Winger James Duffy led the try-scoring with a second-half brace, but chief playmaker Leon Hayes impressed and assisted multiple scores.
James Duffy try for Warrington Wolves Reserves against Leigh Leopards (Image: Neil Ashurst P&B Pictures)
“We were pretty disappointed with our first half – we were very reckless, impatient and wasteful with the ball,” said O’Brien, whose side led 22-0 at the interval.
“To the players’ credit, they owned it at half time and addressed that area of our game in the second half.
“It was pleasing not to concede, but there are still lots of areas we need to tidy up.”
The first half was a stop-start effort with both sides guilty of a string of handling errors that meant there was no flow to the game.
Nevertheless, Wolves opened the scoring in the third minute when a fine break by Tom McKinney led to Alfie Poles pouncing on a kick from Leon Hayes, who landed seven conversions.
Leon Hayes (Image: Neil Ashurst P&B Pictures)
Eight minutes later a short ball from Daniel Regan allowed Logan Raughter to crash through an attempted tackle to score.
Ben Hartill found substitute Isaac Holdsworth to bulldoze over and then a kick into the in-goal area from Hayes brought a score for Coop.
Nine minutes into the second half Wolves moved further clear when Hartill scooted from dummy half and slipped a lovely ball to Hayes to score.
Leon Hayes on the attack for Warrington Wolves against Leigh Leopards (Image: Neil Ashurst P&B Pictures)
A 60-metre break from Zack Gardner led to a ‘six again’ and eventually Duffy and cut back inside, brushing off three defenders, to score.
From a scrum, Hayes’ long looping pass sent Duffy racing into the corner and then slick handling as Hayes combined with Tommy Rhodes and Oliver Bishop put Gardner over.
Zack Gardner dives over for Warrington Wolves Reserves against Leigh Leopards (Image: Neil Ashurst P&B Pictures)
Lovely play from a scrum by the impressive Hayes saw him find Lachlan Webster linking into the line to race over.
And then Hayes put Raughter through a gap and after haring clear he had Regan in support to cross the whitewash.
With the last play of the game quick hands from Hartill, Regan, Hayes, Bishop and Rhodes created room for Jack Fallon to complete the scoring.
Wolves: Lachlan Webster; James Fallon, Zack Gardner, Alfie Poles, James Duffy; Tommy Rhodes, Leon Hayes; Logan Raughter, Ben Hartill, Tom McKinney, James McGuire, Kian Stanton, Daniel Regan. Subs: Isaac Holdsworth, Oliver Bishop, Daniel Coop, Joe Bajer, Jack Pendlebury (18th man).