Wakefield Contribute To Leigh's Early-season Woes

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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 revenge for their removal by Leigh in last season's play-offs as the Leopards' poor start to the Super League campaign continued.


Leigh, who third last season, scored 2 late tries to provide a tight scoreline however a fourth defeat in five means they remain second from bottom.


They have actually been hit hard by early-season injuries, with head coach Adrian Lam revealing before kick-off he is down to 18 fit players, but 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 yielded a stream of first-half charges gave Trinity an upper hand.


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


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


Wakefield's Jayden Myers had a try disallowed 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 punished 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 2 minutes of the 2nd half starting, as O'Brien stopped working to handle Tyson Smoothy's chip through and presented the try to the winger after Faatili's agricultural kick on the last deal with had actually caused confusion in the Leigh ranks.


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


Leigh likewise undertook from Frankie Halton ruled out 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 tackle off the ball simply after the hour, proved essential as Wakefield maximized the extra guy 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 despite the fact that Jacob Alick-Wiencke crossed with 30 seconds left, the visitors disappointed finishing a comeback win.


'Pretty average performance' - reaction


Wakefield employer Daryl Powell informed BBC Radio Leeds:


"2 points is two points but I believed it was a lovely typical performance. We were so unfavorable at the start and got belted for territory in the 2nd half when our discipline was quite bad.


"Leigh were terrific, with the injuries they have actually got, and we didn't support what we did recently - often 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 need to enhance and find out some lessons from it.


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


Leigh head coach Adrian Lam informed BBC Radio Manchester:


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


"It's extremely challenging to complete when it's like that but we hung in there. I take pride in them for competing right to the very end.


"It was 3 attempts all at the end. If we kick our objectives we tie the video game but it wasn't to be.


"We exist or thereabouts however a long method away - that's how it feels at the minute.


"We just had 11 players train this week. We're doing our best. We just need to find a win along the method so next week becomes truly, really essential to us.


"It's effort at the minute but 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