Wakefield Add To Leigh's Early-season Woes

45 Comments


Wakefield (8) 18


Tries: Tevaga, Myers, Pratt Goals: Jowitt 3


Leigh (4) 14


Tries: O'Brien, Charnley, Alick-Wiencke Goal: Cook


Wakefield exacted a measure of vengeance for their removal by Leigh in last season's play-offs as the Leopards' poor start to the Super League campaign continued.


Leigh, who completed third last season, scored two late tries to deliver a tight scoreline however a fourth defeat in five methods they remain second from bottom.


They have been hit hard by early-season injuries, with head coach Adrian Lam revealing before kick-off he is down to 18 fit players, however they were designers of their own downfall at the DIY Kitchens Stadium with their indiscipline.


A second-half sin-binning for Jack Hughes after they had actually conceded a stream of first-half charges gave Trinity a leg up.


Wakefield led 8-4 at the break. Loose forward Jazz Tevaga offered them the lead with his very first shot for the club in the 11th minute, with some late footwork taking the outstanding Samoan outside Isaac Liu close to the Leigh line to discuss.


Leigh came close in the 19th minute however Tom Johnstone, making his 200th career look, avoided stand-in centre Hughes grounding the ball over the line.


Wakefield's Jayden Myers had actually a try disallowed for a foot in touch as he released himself in at the right-hand corner after some great defence from Innes Senior.


But after Caius Faatili spilled ownership in a tackle by Liam Horne from the kick-off, Leigh penalized Trinity with full-back Gareth O'Brien requiring his way over for the shot to keep them in touch.


Myers stretched Wakefield's lead within 2 minutes of the 2nd half beginning, as O'Brien stopped working to deal with Tyson Smoothy's chip through and presented the shot to the winger after Faatili's farming kick on the last tackle had triggered confusion in the Leigh ranks.


Brilliant defence from Max Jowitt denied first Tesi Niu, as the full-back got his body under the centre as he the line, and after that Senior in the corner.


Leigh also undertook from Frankie Halton eliminated for a knock-on by Horne on a hectic night for video referee Liam Moore.


But the loss of Hughes to the sin-bin, for a take on off the ball just after the hour, showed vital as Wakefield made the many of the extra male with Ollie Pratt discussing in the 64th minute.


Josh Charnley pulled a try back with 10 minutes left from Adam Cook's pass - his 258th in Super League - but even though Jacob Alick-Wiencke crossed with 30 seconds left, the visitors disappointed finishing a resurgence win.


'Pretty average performance' - response


Wakefield manager Daryl Powell informed BBC Radio Leeds:


"2 points is 2 points but I believed it was a lovely average efficiency. We were so negative at the start and got belted for area in the 2nd half when our discipline was quite bad.


"Leigh were excellent, with the injuries they have actually got, and we didn't back up what we did recently - sometimes that takes place when you have actually had a big win.


"We can play better than that, we have to play better than that, we have to enhance and find out some lessons from it.


"We had 33% territory in the 2nd half and their line speed and intent was a bit better than ours throughout the 80 minutes."


Leigh head coach Adrian Lam informed BBC Radio Manchester:


"There were some things that really injured us. The charge count I think was 7-1 at half-time which was just outrageous.


"It's extremely hard to contend when it resembles that however we hung in there. I take pride in them for contending right to the very end.


"It was 3 tries all at the end. If we kick our goals we tie the game however it wasn't to be.


"We're there or thereabouts but a long method away - that's how it feels at the minute.


"We only had 11 players train today. We're doing our finest. We simply have to discover a win along the way so next week becomes actually, truly important to us.


"It's effort at the moment however there's no need to panic."


Wakefield: Jowitt; Myers, Scott, Pratt, Johnstone; Sinfield, Trueman; McMeeken, Smoothy, Rodwell, Nikotemo, Vagana, Tevaga.


Interchanges: Storton, Pitts, Hamlin-Eule, Faatili.


Leigh: O'Brien; Senior, Niu, Hughes, Charnley; Cook, Lam; Trout, McNamara, Mulhern, Halton, Alick-Wiencke, Liu.


Interchanges: Brogan, Brown, Davis, Horne.


Referee: Chris Kendall.


Leigh Leopards