Wigan Academy triumph over Wakefield

  • Wigan Academy curtain-raiser ends in win for Warriors.
  • A tight game for an hour before Wigan were able to pull away for the win.
  • FT | Wigan Warriors Academy 34-18 Wakefield Trinity Academy – Match Report

Wigan’s Academy were 34-18 winners over their Wakefield counterparts on Sunday morning ahead of the first team game at the DW Stadium.

The teams were level at the break but piled on the pressure in the second half to secure the victory.

The second half saw the lead change hands a couple of times before Wigan were able to pull away from the visitors for the win.

Wigan were first to test out their opponents line when Charlie Yeomans slipped Nathan Lowe in for the early chance but the centre was held up over the line.

They were again held-up when Trent Kelly-Duffy attempted to barge over the line off the back of a dummy-half pass from Tom Ratchord.

In the 17th minute, after more great work from Trent Kelly-Duffy, Wigan quickly moved the ball left and full-back Noah Hodkinson was able to find the pass to put Nathan Lowe in for the first score of the game. Jack Farrimond slotted over the conversion from just a couple of metres in from the touchline. 

Wakefield responded almost immediately and within three minutes were level.  Wakefield intercepted a Wigan pass 15-metres from the Wakefield line and raced the full length of the field to score (2). The conversion was added (4) to level the scores up at 6-6. That’s the way it remained in a fairly tight first 40 minutes.

Six minutes into the second period, Wigan added their second try of the game when Noah Hodkinson was put through a gap by Jack Farrimond straight from the scrum. Farrimond added the extras for 12-6.

Wakefield hit back again on 52 minutes through the left-centre (3) who powered over from close-range. The conversion was added (4) to level the game up at 12-12.

Wakefield were ahead with their next set, taking the lead with the left winger (2) finding the corner. Again, a well executed touchline conversion (4) gave the visitors a six-point lead with the hour-mark approaching.

On 68 minutes, Wigan were able to level the game up again with Yeomans and Lowe combining once again, Lowe with his second try of the game. Farrimond notched up his third conversion. 18-18.

From this point Wigan turned the screw and Trent Kelly-Duffy scored a try that his performance deserved, after a superb Charlie Yeomans half-break had put Wakefield in scramble-mode. Farrimond again was on point with the boot. Wigan led 24-18 as the game moved into the final five minutes.

Maddoix Jeffery was next on the scoreboard after Reece Rowcroft had raced 50 metres before appearing to put Noah Hodkinson in for the try, but he was ankle-tapped and stopped 15-metres from the line.  The quick play-the-ball and subsequent harbour-bridge pass from Rowcroft left Jeffery with a relatively simple touchdown.  Farrimond was again accurate with another touchline conversion to make it 30-18.

On the last play of the match Farrimond put up the high kick to the corner, and Maddox Jeffery was superior in the air to collect and score his second of the game. Farrimond was unable to convert and it finished 34-18

Wigan Warriors: Noah Hodkinson, Maddox Jeffery, Josh Cartwright, Nathan Lowe, George O’Loughlin, Charlie Yeomans, Jack Farrimond, Ryan Brown, Tom Ratchford, Trent Kelly-Duffy, Finlay Irwin, Lukas Mason, Taylor Kerr.

Interchange:
Reece Rowcroft, Troy Richmond, Dylan Kelly-Duffy, Kalum Rathbone.

Tries: Lowe 2, Hodkinson, T. Kelly-Duffy, Jeffery 2

Goals: Farrimond 5/6

📸Bryan Fowler

Tuesday 25 April 2023