WAKEFIELD TRINITY’S clash with Wigan Warriors has been abandoned after an hour due to floodlight failure.
Trinity were leading 22-12 as the floodlights continued to fail, but referee Chris Kendall decided enough was enough after the sixth time of it happening.
Wigan began the brighter of the two sides as Wakefield conceded a number of penalties and six against early on. And it was Jacob Douglas that broke the deadlock in the eighth minute, taking a wonderful Sam Walters pass to cross in the corner. Ryan Hampshire converted from out wide for a 6-0 lead.
Both sides were conceding penalties at an alarming rate and it was Trinity that took advantage of one given by Chris Kendall to strike back around the midway point in the first-half. A trademark Renouf Atoni run ended with the hulking forward forcing his way over next to the posts. Max Jowitt converted to make it 6-6.
And it was the Championship side that struck again as the half-hour approached with a superb flowing move from left to right seeing Jermaine McGillvary streak over with a strong finish. Jowitt, however, couldn’t convert this time as Wakefield led 10-6.
Things went from bad to worse for the Warriors when Reagan Sumner was sent to the sinbin for a professional foul after Thomas Doyle backed up a break before McGillvary finished expertly once more in the corner for Trinity’s third try just before half-time. This time Jowitt was on target with a superb conversion as Wakefield led 16-6 at the interval.
It was a game that continued to be permeated by Trinity’s new floodlights failing but Wigan looked a different animal in the second-half with Hampshire chipping over for Jack Farrimond to strike for a lovely four-pointer. Hampshire converted from in front to reduce the deficit to six at 16-10.
With Sumner returning to the field after his ten minute breather, the Warriors were back up to their full compliment but that didn’t stop the home side from extending their lead on the hour. A brilliant pass from Josh Griffin fed McGillvary for a well-deserved hat-trick. Jowitt’s conversion was excellent as Trinity were now up 22-12 up before the floodlights ensured the game couldn’t be completed.
Wakefield Trinity
5 Lachlan Walmsley
2 Jermaine McGillvary
19 Jack Croft
4 Oliver Pratt
18 Romain Franco
6 Myles Lawford
1 Max Jowitt
8 Josh Bowden
9 Liam Hoos
10 Renouf Atoni
11 Matty Ashurst
12 Josh Griffin
13 Jay Pitts
Substitutes
14 Toby Boothroyd
15 Thomas Doyle
16 Caleb Uele
17 Mathieu Cozza
20 Harvey Smith
21 Noah Booth
22 Amir Sghaier
Tries: Atoni (20), McGillvary (27, 37, 59)
Goals: Jowitt 3/4
Wigan Warriors
31 Reagan Sumner
28 Jacob Douglas
26 Zach Eckersley
4 Jake Wardle
32 Nathan Lowe
23 Ryan Hampshire
30 Jack Farrimond
16 Luke Thompson
17 Kruise Leeming
15 Patrick Mago
24 Tiaki Chan
22 Sam Walters
13 Kaide Ellis
Substitutes
9 Brad O’Neill
10 Liam Byrne
20 Harvie Hill
25 Sam Eseh
27 Tom Forber
33 Noah Hodkinson
34 Maddox Jeffery
35 George O’Loughlin
Tries: Douglas (8), Farrimond (45)
Goals: Hampshire 2/2
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