Warrington coach Tony Smith accepted his side had won in ugly fashion after overcoming Catalan Dragons in bruising a encounter at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
The unbeaten Wolves ended the Dragons' 100 per cent start to the Super League season by grinding out a 24-16 victory in a scrappy, controversial and ill-disciplined contest.
Catalan recovered from 16-0 down to get within four points before the Wolves edged further ahead but the tight nature of the contest was often overshadowed by penalties, scuffles and sinbinnings.
The Dragons' Brent Webb received two yellow cards while Warrington forward Ben Westwood was also sinbinned after clashing with the Catalan full-back.
Smith said: "It was horribly messy and scrappy. It spoilt what could have been a good game. "There was a lack of control and we got dragged into it.
"It was a bit like a dripping tap and sometimes you have got to turn it off.
"There were a couple of nasty incidents in that game. There is a difference between nasty stuff and tackles that go wrong."
Both sides ended the game with 12 men after Webb and Westwood were dismissed with eight minutes remaining and the problems almost continued on the touchlines.
Smith said: "I am good mates with Webby. I have coached him and have a lot of time for him as a player but he lost his rag there.
"I didn't want Bennie to get dragged back into it. "It's a shame we are talking about that. It was good tough footy for a lot of parts. "I thought we did a bit but still conceded too many points. We are still working our way into the competition.
"We are going to get stronger and better as we go on."
Smith also described an incident placed on report by the referee, in which Leon Pryce appeared to knee one of his players, as "horrible".
Smith confirmed that playmaker Lee Briers had missed the game with a neck and shoulder problem while prop Adrian Morley, injured early on, had torn a biceps muscle.
Joel Monaghan crossed twice for Warrington and there were further tries for Richie Myler and Rhys Evans while Damien Blanch scored two for the Dragons and Zeb Taia also crossed.
Dragons coach Laurent Frayssinous said: "I don't say it was horrible but messy.
"It was a physical, tough game between two big forward packs. "One team wanted to be more aggressive than the other one but both teams were aggressive."
Frayssinous, whose side also had Julian Bosquet sent off against Salford last week, accepted discipline must improve.
He said: "We need to be more disciplined with the ball, in defence and with the ref as well. "We had a lack of discipline and concentration."