Wheelchair season comes to an end at play-offs
- Match Report as Wigan Warriors Wheelchair play-off campaign ends in defeat to Halifax Panthers.
- The Warriors scored five second-half tries but the Panthers took the spoils in a dominant performance.
- FT | Halifax Panthers 78-28 Wigan Warriors.
The Warriors fell to defeat in their final group game of the play-offs against Halifax Panthers to deny them a place in the Grand Final.
Wigan started the game determined to push their opponents to their limits and in the opening 15 minutes, the Warriors had the better of the play and were unlucky not to be in front after Adam Rigby was judged to have knocked on, rather than kicking the ball forward before touching down.
After such a strong start by Wigan, Halifax started to take control thanks to the the abilities of Jack Brown. It was the England international that scored the first try of the game after a quick play the ball gave him the chance to attack a retreating defence.
Following that, Rob Hawkins scored three in a row as he utilised his pace from within his own half for each try. Converting all four tries, Hawkins made it 24-0.
The Panthers continued to keep the score board ticking over for the remainder of the half, with interchange player Jordan Holt being on the end of a passing move in the right corner, plus a try from Finley O’Neil and a fourth from Hawkins taking the half time score to 40-0.
The Warriors came out firing in the second half and Nathan Roberts didn’t waste any time when he scored his sides first try of the game. Adding the extras from the tee, Jack Heggie turned four into six.
Despite the score, the Blue & Whites were still a threat and Brown showed his pace when an angled run gave him sight of space out wide, which he took advantage of and cross the line for his second. Brown then turned provider as a he threw a long cut out pass to O’Neill in the right corner. With Hawkins converting both, ‘Fax now led 52-6.
Sticking to the task, Heggie spotted a gap in the defensive line that allowed him the opportunity to score. After another O’Neill try, a double from Oran Spain helped keep his side within touching distance. The first try in the right corner came after a quick play the ball from Heggie gave N.Roberts the time to fine Spain out wide. The second saw the Ireland international on the opposite wing where Rigby supplied the final pass. Heggie converted all three tries to narrow the gap significantly.
In the final 15 minutes, Halifax scored four further tries. Two more for Hawkins took his tally to six, a first for Wayne Boardman, and a third for Brown, completing his hat-trick after a shallow kick bounced up nicely for him to grab the loose ball ahead of the defender.
In the middle of those tries, Toby Burton-Carter got his name on the score sheet, thanks to a cut out pass from N.Roberts, that turned out to be the last try of the season for the Warriors.
As the hooter sounded, Halifax Panthers sealed their place in the Grand Final with a 78-28 victory, where they will face London Roosters, a repeat of the Challenge Cup Final from earlier this year.
Halifax Panthers: Jack Brown, Wayne Boardman, Rob Hawkins, Nathan Holmes, Finley O’Neill
Interchanges: Joe Calcott, Tom Martin, Jordan Holt
Tries: Brown (3), Hawkins (6), Holt, O’Neil (3), Boardman
Goals: Hawkins (11/14)
Wigan Warriors: Mel Griffiths, Jack Heggie, Nathan Roberts, Adam Rigby, Phil Roberts
Interchanges: Toby Burton-Carter, Oran Spain, Scott Trigg-Turner
Tries: N.Roberts, Heggie, Spain (2), Burton-Carter
Goals: Heggie (4/5)
By Stuart Cooke.
