Warriors Wheelchair return to winning ways
- Match Report as Wigan Warriors Wheelchair claim victory over London Roosters at Robin Park Leisure Centre.
- Wigan scored eight converted tries in the win, including an Adam Rigby hat-trick.
- FT | Wigan Warriors 48-34 London Roosters.
Match Report as Wigan Warriors Wheelchair returned to winning ways with a 48-34 victory over London Roosters on Saturday afternoon.
After a narrow defeat to London Roosters only a month ago, Wigan Warriors Wheelchair were looking to get their season back on track as they hosted the same opponents on Saturday afternoon.
It was the Away side who got off to the better start with two early tries. Jack Linden and Lewis King were able to score in either corner, whilst Joe Coyd added the extras for a 12-0 advantage.
Wigan bounced back with a quick fire trio. Some slick handling from Jack Heggie and Adam Rigby gave Nathan Roberts the space to score out wide, with Rigby then sidestepping his way to the line after a short Heggie pass. The third try came through Toby Burton-Carter as he crashed his way over the line and was able to place the ball down. All three tries were converted by Heggie to put the Cherry & Whites 18-12 in front.
Later in the half, London were attacking the Wigan line with vigour, and an unfortunate incident saw Heggie and Phil Roberts come together, which gifted Coyd an opportunity to score.
Having had the better of the half, the Warriors were exuding confidence and it wasn’t long before they were scoring again. Taking the ball to the line, Rigby was able to beat the defenders and double his tally. Heggie remained accurate from the tee for a 24-16 half time lead.
Similar to the first half, it was the Roosters who came out firing. A Scott Trigg-Turner try narrowed the gap to just 2 points, before Matthew Wass regained the lead for his side.
The game was end to end, and with both teams having World Cup winners within their ranks, the skill and experience to cause each other problems was very evident. It was Heggie who was the next to score, spotting a gap in the defensive line that allowed him enough space to reach out and touchdown. The try had tied the scores, but the successful conversion put Wigan back in front by 2 points.
Lewis King’s angled run and try, plus a Joe Coyd kick, put London back in charge for the third time in the game, proving what a see saw battle this really was. Both teams vying for the win to give them the best possible opportunity of a Home tie come Play Off time.
With just 10 minutes left, Wigan trailed by 4 points and they were throwing everything they had at their opponents. Some off the cuff play deep within their opposition’s half had the Home side zig zagging in front on the defensive line. This ended when Phil Roberts looped a pass over the last defender to help Rigby complete his hat trick and see the lead change hands once more. Wigan now leading 36-34.
Moments later, a try was scored that broke the spirt of the Roosters. Looking to have been stopped, Nathan Roberts was able to wriggle out of the tackle and use his electric pace to out strip the chasing defenders and go over in the corner.
After scoring the previous try, N.Roberts was involved again when his quick play the ball gave Heggie the chance to get on the outside of the defenders and sprint down the left flank. With the on looking crowd cheering him home, Heggie was able to score under the sticks, this giving him the perfect kicking opportunity to seal his 100% record for the afternoon. As the ball flew through the uprights, the score board now read 48-34 to the Warriors, and that is how it remained until the final whistle.
Wigan Warriors: Nathan Roberts, Jack Heggie, Adam Rigby, Phil Roberts, Toby Burton-Carter
Interchanges: Reece Duddle, Mark Williams, Tom Welch
Tries: N.Roberts (2), Rigby (3), Burton-Carter, Heggie (2)
Goals: Heggie (8/8)
London Roosters: Joe Coyd, Lewis King, Freya Levy, Jack Linden, Matthew Wass
Interchanges: Scott Trigg-Turner
Tries: Linden, King (2), Coyd, Trigg-Turner, Wass
Goals: Coyd (5/6)
