Gary Wheeler broke the game open with a second-half try as the Toronto Wolfpack beat Whitehaven 36-18 on Saturday in the fifth round of Kingstone Press League 1’s Super 8s playoffs.

Wheeler’s try gave the Wolfpack (18-1-1) a 12-point cushion late in the match. Rich Whiting, Jonny Pownall, Liam Kay and Quentin Laulu-Togaga’e also scored tries for Toronto.

James Tilley scored a try in the second half for Whitehaven (15-4-1) to close the deficit to 20-18. But Kay responded shortly after to give Toronto a six-point lead.

The first-place Wolfpack can assure first place overall and automatic promotion to the second-tier Championship with a victory next week over second-place Barrow. Toronto entered weekend play with a two-point lead over Barrow with two games remaining in the Super 8s playoff round.

The league champion wins automatic promotion to the second-tier Championship with the second- through fifth-place teams facing off for the remaining promotion spot.

Attendance at Lamport Stadium was 6,134.

Correction – September 5, 2017: This article was edited from a previous version that mistakenly said there were three games remaining in the Super 8s playoff round.