Wigan Warriors secured a club-record 12th consecutive home victory in a 26-12 win over Wakefield on Saturday, propelling them to the top of the Betfred Super League table. The match, played at the Brick Community Stadium, saw Matt Peet’s side build a 20-point lead by half-time and seal the win with a late interception by Jai Field.
Dominant first half
Wigan’s early dominance was built on a series of Wakefield handling errors. Bevan French’s pass to Zach Eckersley was mis-handled, allowing Liam Marshall to score the opening try. Six minutes later, a penalty pass set up Kian McDermott’s ball to Liam Marshall for a second try, giving Wigan a 12-0 advantage. A third try followed after a penalty on the hooter, with Adam Keighran’s kicks adding to the tally. By half-time, Wigan led 20-0, four tries to none.
Second-half resilience
Wakefield fought back in the second half, narrowing the deficit to 20-12 at 52 minutes when Jake Trueman’s kick gave Corey Hall a chance to score. Hall’s attempt was thwarted when his foot went out of bounds, and the visitors’ hopes were dashed when a spill from Mike McMeeken allowed Jai Field to sprint the length of the field for Wigan’s fourth try. A late effort from Wakefield’s Ky Rodwell made the final score respectable.
Matt Peet praised his side’s tenacity, noting that the first half was intense and set for set for a long time. He added that the second half was “a little bit sloppy” but that defending had been crucial. Wakefield head coach Daryl Powell criticised the refereeing, calling for the department to ask themselves questions after the match.
Leigh Leopards continue play-off charge
Leigh Leopards also posted a dominant 62-10 victory over Bradford Bulls, with Adam Cook scoring 30 points, including 11 kicks and two tries. The Leopards’ 48-point second half saw a flurry of tries from Innes Senior, Umyla Hanley, and Joe Ofahengaue, while Bradford’s only points came from Waqa Blake’s try. Head coach Adrian Lam praised the team’s confidence after a win over Leeds Rhinos the previous week.
Bradford head coach Kurt Haggerty described the night as a tough one, noting that the Bulls were down in the second half and that the team would focus on the remaining three games.
The Super League continues on Saturday, live on Sky Sports, with Wigan’s performance setting a high bar for the rest of the season.
