WAKEFIELD TRINITY 22 WIGAN WARRIORS 26
DAVE CRAVEN, DIY Kitchens Stadium, Sunday

CHALLENGE CUP kings Wigan are just 80 minutes from Wembley after Wakefield’s Jazz Tevaga lost his cool.

Two-try Zach Eckersley fired Matt Peet’s side into the semi-finals against fierce rivals St Helens following Tevaga’s moment of madness.

Daryl Powell’s Trinity were 16-12 ahead when the Samoa loose-forward kicked out at Liam Marshall after the Wigan winger was tackled and was lucky not to receive a straight red card. 

Referee Liam Moore showed the 30-year-old a yellow – but by the time he returned to the field, his side were 22-16 down.

Jai Field scored with the final play of the half after Cameron Scott messed up trying to deal with the Wigan player’s kick downfield from a 20-metre restart.

In the next set, Field latched onto Harry Smith’s grubber after Seth Nikotemo failed to grasp the bouncing ball.

Adam Keighran’s third successful conversion put the visitors 18-16 ahead and they extended that advantage through winger Eckersley’s first try at the start of the second half, again from a smart Smith kick.

Even when Tevaga returned to the field, he was quickly in bother again, copping Marshall with a high tackle.

But Wakefield restored parity when Max Jowitt did well to smuggle the ball out of Liam Farrell’s tackle and Oliver Pratt found Scott for the rangy centre to scramble over next to the posts in the 53rd minute.

The feisty game continued to boil over, though, and it was no surprise when, after another melee involving him and most players, Powell brought Tevaga off the field.

Eckersley got his second try after a brilliant double cut-out pass from prop Patrick Mago gave Keighran space to usher over his centre.

Farrell and Junior Nsemba both went close late on as Wakefield ran out of steam.

Yet Trinity had surged into a 12-0 lead inside just 14 minutes.

Stand-off Jake Trueman, fresh from signing a new four-year deal this week, finished off some excellent work in the middle as Ky Rodwell and Mike McMeeken split Wigan open.

And then, after Trueman had half jinked through, they were in again when Rodwell was inexplicably allowed to stretch an arm out of a three-man Wigan tackle to touch down himself.

Jowitt converted both but Mago dotted down with Wigan’s first real attack in the 20th minute after Smith’s high kick caused problems.

When Isaiah Vagana made a rare Wakefield error, Wigan were allowed to score with their first real attack.

Tevaga’s late hit on the impressive Oliver Partington gave them further position and Field’s fine cut-out pass saw Marshall cut back inside to score.

England winger Tom Johnstone responded but things all started to go wrong with that Tevaga sin bin.

GAMESTAR: Harry Smith’s kicking game was supreme.

GAMEBREAKER: Jazz Tevaga’s sin bin caused Wakefield no end of trouble.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Jake Trueman’s opening try was a lovely score.

MATCHFACTS

TRINITY
1 Max Jowitt
2 Oliver Pratt
3 Cameron Scott
4 Corey Hall
5 Tom Johnstone
6 Jake Trueman
7 Mason Lino
8 Mike McMeeken
9 Tyson Smoothy
10 Ky Rodwell
11 Seth Nikotemo
18 Isaiah Vagana
14 Jay Pitts
Subs (all used)
13 Jazz Tevaga
15 Caleb Hamlin-Uele
17 Harvey Smith
24 Tray Lolesio
18th man (not used)
12 Matty Storton
Also in 21-man squad
20 Jack Sinfield
21 Jayden Myers
23 Josh Rourke

Tries: Trueman (6), Rodwell (14), Johnstone (33), Scott (53)
Goals: Jowitt 3/4
Sin bin: Tevaga (36) – kicking out

WARRIORS
1 Jai Field
2 Zach Eckersley
3 Adam Keighran
12 Liam Farrell
5 Liam Marshall
19 Jack Farrimond
7 Harry Smith
20 Sam Eseh
9 Brad O’Neill
10 Luke Thompson
11 Junior Nsemba
14 Sam Walters
13 Kaide Ellis
Subs (all used)
15 Patrick Mago
17 Oliver Partington
23 Kian McDermott
28 Noah Hodkinson
18th man (not used)
25 Taylor Kerr
Also in 21-man squad
22 Tom Forber
27 Lukas Mason
32 Dayon Sambou

Tries: Mago (20), Marshall (29), Field (40), Eckersley (41, 64)
Goals: Keighran 3/5

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 12-6, 12-10, 16-12, 16-18; 16-22, 22-22, 22-26

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Trinity: Isaiah Vagana; Warriors: Harry Smith

Penalty count: 5-5
Half-time: 16-18
Referee: Liam Moore
Attendance: 8,051