WAKEFIELD TRINITY 10 WIGAN WARRIORS 48
STEPHEN IBBETSON, DIY Kitchens Stadium, Friday

WIGAN may be four points behind Super League’s leading pair but a third sensational win in succession suggests they must be considered favourites for the title.

Having taken the flair that won the Challenge Cup Final over to Paris when they beat Catalans, there was still plenty left to humble a Wakefield side who are level on points in the table yet could barely lay a glove on the Warriors.

Noah Hodkinson in particular benefitted to the tune of four tries but the young winger owed a great deal to the superb work of the star figures inside him, not least the elusive Jai Field and another wrecking-ball display from Junior Nsemba.

Bevan French, rested the previous week, reprised his Wembley bench role. Like then, the game was already won by the time he came on early in the second half, but he helped continue a fantastic showing that should strike fear into every other title chaser – including Leeds and Warrington at the summit.

For Wakefield, the contrast to a thrilling win over Hull KR six days earlier couldn’t be more stark. The loss of Oliver Pratt, Corey Hall and Mason Lino to injury plus Jazz Tevaga to suspension don’t come close to explaining such a horrific defensive display.

Wigan’s were devastating from their fifth-minute opener. Field initially caused trouble, then Jack Farrimond launched a pass wide for Zach Eckersley. Wakefield were too stretched and, via an Adam Keighran offload, Liam Farrell was in – the skipper’s 150th Wigan try, on his 450th career appearance.

Wakefield’s response was less flair, more brute force, as Matty Storton crashed onto a Jake Trueman short ball, brushed off Farrimond and drove his way to the line.

Jowitt couldn’t convert from wide as Keighran had – his first of six – but the fullback did level matters with a penalty in the 24th minute after Wigan’s tryline defence was caught offside.

Parity did not last long, as the Warriors responded with three tries in an electric seven-minute spell.

The brilliant Nsemba led the way, his bruising carry and offload setting up, through Field and Jake Wardle, a Hodkinson try converted by Keighran.

Oliver Partington got the next, the first league try of his second Wigan spell coming straight out of dummy-half with few defenders back after Harry Smith’s chip from deep caused chaos and Hodkinson was denied close to the line.

The winger didn’t have to wait much longer for his second, diving into the corner off an Nsemba cut-out after Keighran and Field switched play around a Wakefield side badly struggling to get a grip of Wigan’s elusive stars and grateful for half-time at 6-20 behind.

But the break changed little, and Hodkinson made it a hat-trick seven minutes into the second half by rising highest to a measured kick from Farrimond.

French’s entrance signalled Wigan were in no mood to go easy, and three more tries swiftly followed from Wardle – despite several defenders in attention – Hodkinson’s fourth via Wardle and Smith, then Eckersley in the corner from a no-look, cut-out pass by French.

Down 42-6 on the hour, Tom Johnstone’s try from a Trueman ball over the top was of very little consolation to Trinity.

And there was still time for Wigan to toy with their opposition further, an audacious play featuring a series of offloads finishing with Farrimond being tackled just short – but seconds later French sent Farrell over anyway.

GAMESTAR: Jai Field is currently playing at his very best – as are quite a few of his team-mates.

GAMEBREAKER: Three tries in seven minutes late in the first half showed Wigan meant business and Wakefield weren’t at it.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Junior Nsemba skittling Jack Sinfield and Cameron Scott like bowling pins in the build-up to Noah Hodkinson’s first try.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Jai Field (Wigan)
2 pts Junior Nsemba (Wigan)
1 pt Noah Hodkinson (Wigan)

MATCHFACTS

TRINITY
1 Max Jowitt
21 Jayden Myers
3 Cameron Scott
11 Seth Nikotemo
5 Tom Johnstone
6 Jake Trueman
20 Jack Sinfield
8 Mike McMeeken
9 Tyson Smoothy
10 Ky Rodwell
12 Matty Storton
18 Isaiah Vagana
14 Jay Pitts
Subs (all used)
15 Caleb Hamlin-Uele
16 Caius Faatili
24 Tray Lolesio
32 Will Tate
18th man (not used)
17 Harvey Smith
Also in 21-man squad
2 Oliver Pratt
23 Josh Rourke
33 Charlie Abraham

Tries: Storton (11), Johnstone (65)
Goals: Jowitt 1/3

WARRIORS
1 Jai Field
2 Zach Eckersley
3 Adam Keighran
4 Jake Wardle
28 Noah Hodkinson
19 Jack Farrimond
7 Harry Smith
8 Ethan Havard
9 Brad O’Neill
10 Luke Thompson
11 Junior Nsemba
12 Liam Farrell
17 Oliver Partington
Subs (all used)
6 Bevan French
13 Kaide Ellis
15 Patrick Mago
20 Sam Eseh
18th man (not used)
25 Taylor Kerr
Also in 21-man squad
23 Kian McDermott
33 George O’Loughlin
36 George Marsden

Tries: Farrell (5, 77), Hodkinson (28, 35, 47, 58), Partington (32), Wardle (53), Eckersley (60)
Goals: Keighran 6/9

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 4-6, 6-6, 6-12, 6-16, 6-20; 6-26, 6-32, 6-38, 6-42, 10-42, 10-48

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Trinity: Isaiah Vagana; Warriors: Jai Field

Penalty count: 4-5
Half-time: 6-20
Referee: Marcus Griffiths
Attendance: 8,095