WIGAN WARRIORS thrashed Leigh Leopards at the Leigh Sports Village, 40-12.

Wigan broke the deadlock early on after consecutive penalties in their favour. With the Warriors spreading the ball from left to right, Jai Field supplied Abbas Miski with a bullet pass and the winger finished expertly. Harry Smith couldn’t convert though as the visitors led 4-0.

Matt Moylan was sinbinned in the next set for hitting Field around the head as Leigh were reduced to 12 men. Naturally, Wigan exploited the extra man with Bevan French’s neat grubber falling perfectly for Willie Isa to cross.

French was in the mood for blood and his ow kick and chase from a superb Field break saw Wigan’s number 6 register the Warriors’ third of the night. Smith missed the conversion as the visitors led 14-0.

Smith himself got in on the act in the next set as Kruise Leeming carved Leigh up down the middle. The hooker drew the defence and offloaded inside to Smith, who converted to make it 20-0.

The Leopards did finally hit back when Gareth O’Brien’s kick was hacked on by Josh Charnley as Ricky Leutele won the race. Moylan converted to reduce the deficit to 14.

Moylan missed the chance to reduce it further to 12 with a penalty on the hooter, but his effort went wide as Wigan 20-6 at the break.

Field effectively ended the contest on 45 minutes, sprinting 90 metres before Adam Keighran finished in the corner minutes later after French was denied a second. Smith converted the first but not the second with the visitors leading 30-6.

Junior Nsemba charged over just before the hour, though Charnley did reply shortly after with Moylan’s conversion making it 36-12.

Wigan returned fire once more as Liam Marshall slid over in the corner to round off the scoring at 40-12.

Leigh Leopards

1 Gareth O’Brien – 6
24 Umyla Hanley – 4
3 Zak Hardaker – 4
4 Ricky Leutele – 5
5 Josh Charnley – 4
6 Matt Moylan – 4
7 Lachlan Lam – 5
14 Dan Norman – 4
21 Ben McNamara – 4
17 Owen Trout – 4
11 Kai O’Donnell – 5
16 Frankie Halton – 4
12 Jack Hughes – 4
Substitutes
15 Matt Davis – 4
18 Ben Nakubuwai – 3
19 Ed Chamberlain – N/A
33 Brad Dwyer – 7

Tries: Leutele (32), Charnley (60)
Goals: Moylan 2/3
Sinbin: Moylan (11) – head contact

Wigan Warriors

1 Jai Field – 8
2 Abbas Miski – 7
3 Adam Keighran – 7
4 Jake Wardle – 8
5 Liam Marshall – 7
6 Bevan French – 9
7 Harry Smith – 8
16 Luke Thompson – 7
9 Brad O’Neill – 7
20 Harvie Hill – 6
11 Willie Isa – 7
12 Liam Farrell – 6
13 Kaide Ellis – 6
Substitutes
15 Patrick Mago – 7
17 Kruise Leeming – 7
21 Junior Nsemba – 7
24 Tiaki Chan – 6

Tries: Miski (7), Isa (17), French (26), Smith (28), Field (45), Keighran (52), Nsemba (57), Marshall (65)
Goals: Smith 4/8

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