A field goal by Matty Smith after 66 minutes was the difference between the teams tonight at the DW Stadium, as Wigan held on to win 13-12 against Hull FC, who almost snatched victory after coming back from a 12-0 half-time deficit.
Wigan came into the game desperate to atone for their 42-14 defeat at Castleford a week earlier, while Hull were equally desperate to put in a good performance after having lost 12-43 to Leeds in round 4.
And it was Wigan who got off to the best start, when Joel Tomkins got over the line, for Smith to add the conversion.
Hull thought they had scored when Dean Hadley went over, but referee Ben Thaler ruled a forward pass.
As the half entered its closing stages Smith added a penalty for Wigan, and then they spread the ball superbly for Sarginson to score in the corner, although Smith couldn’t add the conversion.
Within three minutes of the interval Hull were back in the game, when Matty Bowen collided with a team-mate and spilled a Marc Sneyd bomb, and Fetuli Talanoa picked up the ball to score, with Sneyd adding the goal.
Joe Burgess had a try ruled out, again for a forward pass, but Smith opened a seven-point gap with his field-goal.
Hull were in no mood to surrender, however, and Academy winger Callum Lancaster, playing his first game of the season, followed up his own kick through, and then was on hand to take a fine pass from Danny Houghton to touch down. Sneyd’s goal reduced the gap to one point.
And Hull attacked again almost on the final whistle, but Liam Watts’ pass to Talanoa sailed into touch, much to the relief of the home supporters.
A full report and photos from this match will feature in Monday’s edition of Rugby League Express.
