Warriors handed loss at Wakefield
- Match Report as Wigan Warriors fall to defeat away at Wakefield Trinity.
- Sam Halsall and Jai Field crossed for scores in the loss.
- FT | Wakefield Trinity 30-12 Wigan Warriors
Match report as Wigan were handed defeat on the road against Wakefield Trinity.
Sam Halsall scored Wigan’s only effort of the first half to get the Warriors on the board, with a Jai Field effort in the second forty getting Wigan 12-points on the board but it wasn’t enough against a resilient Wakefield side.
Report
Wigan were forced into a late change as Morgan Smithies pulled up in the warm-up with a tight calf, Oliver Partington took his starting spot with Joe Shorrocks coming onto the bench.
Wakefield thought they’d gone over in the opening 5 minutes as Jacob Miller found a route through but the referee pulled the play back for an obstruction. Shortly afterwards, Wigan then went close to the opener as Bevan French weaved his way towards the goal line but was stopped short before losing the ball to keep the score at 0-0.
Wakefield did register the opener though as Lee Kershaw crashed over on the right wing, the conversion attempt from Mason Lino on the touchline was wide and it was 4-0.
Trinity were persistent as they went close again just three minutes later, but were forced into touch by the Wigan defence. That was before Wakefield found themselves back in possession and Jai Whitbread found himself in space to cut inside and score under the sticks, Lino converting for 10-0.
Mike Cooper thought he’d got Wigan off the mark in the 26th minute as he powered onto a ball and towards the whitewash but the referee adjudged that the forward lost the ball before grounding and the effort was chalked off.
Wakefield made it 16-0 on the half-hour mark, after being awarded a fresh set of six deep in Wigan territory, Mason Lino found Jacob Miller with a pass to go through a gap and touch the ball down in the centre of the field with Lino adding the extras.
Sam Halsall got Wigan on the board in the 36th minute, after a weaving run from Bevan French who drew in the defenders he got a pass away to Sam Halsall who had the muscle to go over, Harry Smith added the conversion as his effort ricocheted in off the uprights and it was 16-6. Mason Lino added a penalty goal on the stroke of half time to make it 18-6.
With work to do in the second half, Wigan soon found themselves down to 12-men as Patrick Mago was sent to the sin bin for a dangerous tackle. Trinity took the opportunity to throw everything at Wigan with the man advantage but the Warriors held firm.
Wigan had two good opportunities to reduce the deficit before the hour, the first saw a ball fired to the right wing from Jai Field go behind the supporting Warriors and into touch, before similarly a move on the left edge saw another pass go stray and into touch.
Jacob Miller lined up a drop goal in the 61st minute, but Wigan charged it down brilliantly to deny him the one-pointer, but it was short lived as Wakefield extended the lead three minutes later. This time a perfect pass from Lino sending Tanginoa flying through the line to get the score, the conversion was added and it was 24-6.
Wigan were trying everything to find a way back but a series of handling errors denied them. That was until a moment of brilliance from Jai Field saw the full back chip the ball over the top to collect himself and glide under the sticks, Field converted his own score and it was 24-12 with less than 5 minutes to go.
Trinity sealed the win in response as the ball came to Lewis Murphy who raced down the left wing, the chasing Liam Byrne couldn’t get across in time and the score, with Lino’s conversion completed a 30-12 win for Wakefield.
Gallery:
Wakefield Trinity: Jamie Shaul, Lee Kershaw, Corey Hall, Lee Gaskell, Lewis Murphy, Jacob Miller, Mason Lino, Jai Whitbread, Jordy Crowther, Tinirau Arona, Matty Ashurst, Kelepi Tanginoa, James Batchelor.
Interchange: Brad Walker, Yusuf Aydin, Josh Bowden, Eddie Battye.
Tries: Kershaw (11′), Whitbread (17′), Miller (32′), Tanginoa (64′), Murphy (78′)
Goals: Lino 5/6
Wigan Warriors: Jai Field, Bevan French, Sam Halsall, Jake Bibby, Liam Marshall, Cade Cust, Harry Smith, Brad Singleton, Brad O’Neill, Mike Cooper, Willie Isa, Kai Pearce-Paul, Oliver Partington.
Interchange: Patrick Mago, Kaide Ellis, Joe Shorrocks, Liam Byrne.
Tries: Halsall (36′), Field (76′)
Goals: Smith 1/1, Field 1/1
Sin Bin: Mago (42′)
Referee: Marcus Griffiths
Attendance: 3,933
