Warriors win in Round one

• Match Report as Wigan Warriors claim an opening round victory against Castleford Tigers.
• Patrick Mago scored the first try of Wigan’s season as French, Marshall (2) and Leeming also scored for the Warriors.
• FT | Castleford Tigers 4-32 Wigan Warriors.

Wigan opened their 2024 betfred super league account with a well-earned win over castleford tigers on saturday evening.

It was a first half littered with penalties at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle which saw the scores locked at 4-4 after half an hour with both sides slotting a brace of penalty goals each after Harry Smith had been sent to the sin bin and Liam Watts saw red. Patrick Mago scored the opening try of the campaign before assisting Bevan French for Wigan’s second for 16-4 at the break.

Wigan scored second half tries through Kruise Leeming and a Liam Marshall double to confirm the opening round victory.

Report

A good start to the affair from Wigan saw the Warriors get back-to-back penalties, taking them deep into Castleford territory. With the Tigers penalised again Harry Smith shouted for the kicking tee to slot over the penalty goal and get Wigan the first two points of the game.

In almost identical circumstances, Wigan were then penalised for holding down in the tackle before being pulled for offside close to their own goal line. Danny Richardson slotted over a simple penalty goal to level the scores at 2-2 after 8 minutes.

A quiet period ensued and Harry Smith was sent to the sin bin after 20 minutes after he was deemed to commit a dangerous tackle shortly after Patrick Mago and Tyler Dupree entered the field off the interchange bench.

With the man advantage, Castleford reaped the rewards of another penalty decision as Richardson kicked the hosts 4-2 ahead after 33 minutes.

Castleford were then reduced to 12-men for the remainder of the match as Liam Watts was shown a red card on the half hour for a shoulder charge on Tyler Dupree and with Harry Smith still in the sin bin, Adam Keighran stepped up to kick Wigan level from 35m out.

After 10-months out of action, Mike Cooper was then introduced to the game with seven minutes to go until half time. Shortly afterwards Patrick Mago got Wigan back in front, latching on to a grubber through from Kruise Leeming, converted by Harry Smith for 10-4 to Wigan.

Wigan extended their lead just before the hooter as Patrick Mago then turned provider to send Man of Steel Bevan French through for his first try of 2024 in the right hand corner. From the touchline, Smith nailed the extras to see Wigan in at the break with a 16-4 advantage.

An even start to the second period was soon another advantage for Wigan as Liam Marshall crossed in the 50th minute, Wardle sending his winger over for the third score of the evening. Harry Smith was off target with the conversion this time but Wigan led 20-4.

Almost immediately afterwards, Wigan were in again. Abbas Miski sent a grubber kick through which Leeming then kicked towards the uprights before dropping on the ball to score his first try in Wigan colours. Smith added the two and it was 26-4 Wigan.

Liam Marshall rounded off the proceedings for Wigan, collecting a pass from Jake Wardle to race into the in-goal before cutting inside to score under the sticks, Smith converted to confirm a well-earned 32-4 victory with the Betfred World Club Challenge next up.

Match Gallery:

Castleford Tigers: Luke Hooley, Jason Qareqare, Jack Broadbent, Sam Wood, Innes Senior, Danny Richardson, Jacob Miller, George Lawler, Liam Horne, Nixon Putt, Elie El-Zakhem, Charbel Tasipale, Joe Westerman.

Interchange: Josh Simm, Liam Watts, Sam Hall, Muizz Mustapha.

18th Player: Cain Robb.

Tries: N/A

Goals: Richardson 2/2

Red Card: Watts (29′)

Wigan Warriors: Jai Field, Abbas Miski, Adam Keighran, Jake Wardle, Liam Marshall, Bevan French, Harry Smith, Luke Thompson, Brad O’Neill, Liam Byrne, Willie Isa, Liam Farrell, Kaide Ellis.

Interchange: Mike Cooper, Patrick Mago, Kruise Leeming, Tyler Dupree.

18th Player: Harvie Hill.

Tries: Mago (35′), French (38′), Marshall (50′, 76′), Leeming (54′)

Goals: Smith 5/6, Keighran 1/1

Sin Bin: Smith (20′)

Referee: Tom Grant

Attendance: 10,170