Wakefield Add To Leigh's Early-season Woes

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(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 revenge for their elimination by Leigh in last season's play-offs as the Leopards' bad start to the Super League project continued.


Leigh, who finished third last season, scored two late shots to provide a tight scoreline however a fourth defeat in 5 methods they remain 2nd from bottom.


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


A second-half sin-binning for Jack Hughes after they had conceded a stream of first-half penalties offered Trinity an upper hand.


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


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


Wakefield's Jayden Myers undertook prohibited for a foot in touch as he introduced himself in at the right-hand corner after some great defence from Innes Senior.


But after Caius Faatili spilled ownership in a take on by Liam Horne from the kick-off, Leigh penalized Trinity with full-back Gareth O'Brien forcing his method over for the try to keep them in touch.


Myers stretched Wakefield's lead within two minutes of the second half beginning, as O'Brien failed to handle Tyson Smoothy's chip through and provided the try to the winger after Faatili's agricultural kick on the last tackle had actually caused confusion in the Leigh ranks.


Brilliant defence from Max Jowitt rejected very first Tesi Niu, as the full-back got his body under the centre as he crossed the line, and then Senior in the corner.


Leigh likewise had a shot from Frankie Halton ruled out for a knock-on by Horne on a busy night for video referee Liam Moore.


But the loss of Hughes to the sin-bin, for a tackle off the ball simply after the hour, showed important as Wakefield maximized the extra male with Ollie Pratt reviewing in the 64th minute.


Josh Charnley pulled a try back with 10 minutes left from Adam Cook's pass - his 258th in Super League - however although Jacob Alick-Wiencke crossed with 30 seconds left, the visitors fell short of completing a resurgence win.


'Pretty typical performance' - response


Wakefield manager Daryl Powell told BBC Radio Leeds:


"2 points is two points but I thought it was a pretty typical performance. We were so negative at the start and got belted for area in the second half when our discipline was quite bad.


"Leigh were fantastic, with the injuries they have actually got, and we didn't support what we did last week - often that takes place when you have actually had a big win.


"We can play much better than that, we have to play better than that, we have to improve and discover some lessons from it.


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


Leigh head coach Adrian Lam told BBC Radio Manchester:


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


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


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


"We exist or thereabouts but a long way away - that's how it feels at the moment.


"We just had 11 players train today. We're doing our finest. We just need to discover a win along the way so next week ends up being actually, really important to us.


"It's tough work at the moment but there's no requirement 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