Wakefield Add 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 elimination by Leigh in last season's play-offs as the Leopards' poor start to the Super League project continued.


Leigh, who finished third last season, scored 2 late tries to deliver a tight scoreline but a fourth defeat in 5 ways 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 gamers, but they were architects of their own failure 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 penalties provided Trinity an upper hand.


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


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


Wakefield's Jayden Myers had actually a try for a foot in touch as he launched 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 punished Trinity with full-back Gareth O'Brien forcing his way over for the try to keep them in touch.


Myers stretched Wakefield's lead within two minutes of the 2nd half beginning, as O'Brien stopped working to deal with Tyson Smoothy's chip through and provided the shot to the winger after Faatili's agricultural kick on the last deal with 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 crossed the line, and after that Senior in the corner.


Leigh also had a shot from Frankie Halton dismissed 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 simply after the hour, proved important 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 - however despite the fact that Jacob Alick-Wiencke crossed with 30 seconds left, the visitors disappointed completing a return win.


'Pretty average efficiency' - response


Wakefield manager Daryl Powell told BBC Radio Leeds:


"2 points is two points however I thought it was a beautiful average 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 excellent, with the injuries they've got, and we didn't back up what we did recently - in some cases that occurs when you've had a big win.


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


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


Leigh head coach Adrian Lam informed BBC Radio Manchester:


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


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


"It was three tries all at the end. If we kick our goals we connect 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 simply need to find a win along the method so next week becomes really, actually crucial to us.


"It's effort at the moment however 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