Match Report as Wigan Warriors win against Huddersfield Giants at FLAIR Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Tries from Marshall, Field and a Farrimond double led Wigan to victory.
Match Report as Wigan Warriors win against Huddersfield Giants at FLAIR Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Liam Marshall became Wigan’s all-time Super League try scorer on Saturday afternoon, making it 148 tries whilst also celebrating his 200th Wigan appearance in the win.
Despite opening the scoring, Wigan conceded two first half scores from George Flanagan and George King, both converted by full-back Flanagan to see Wigan trail 12-4 at the break.
Jai Field hit back after the restart for Wigan before former Warrior Joe Greenwood extend the Giants’ lead again to 18-10. A late converted double from Jack Farrimond saw the Warriors snatch the two-points in a 22-18 win to remain firmly in second spot in the Super League table.
After a quieter start to the fixture at FLAIR stadium, it was an historic opening try for the Warriors as Liam Marshall opened the scoring to become our all-time leading try scorer, surpassing Pat Richards with an effort on the edge with some slick work in the build-up courtesy of a Junior Nsemba offload before Field and Wardle combined to send Marshall in. Adam Keighran was unable to convert the score as we led 4-0.
Just 7 minutes later though and Huddersfield responded as they worked the ball left from a penalty to see full-back George Flanagan in to level the scores, before converting his own score to give the Giants the 6-4 advantage.
Marshall thought he’d added to his tally and got Wigan back in front almost immediately, but under immense pressure the effort was chalked off as a No Try by the video referee with the winger forced into touch before he could ground the ball.
Huddersfield looked bright and forced a goal line drop out just after the half hour to put Wigan under some pressure and it paid as interchange George King powered over from close range to extend their lead, with Flanagan adding the extras in front of the sticks to see the Giants in with the 12-4 lead at the turnaround.
Wigan were quick to respond from the restart as a high kick on the last from Harry Smith was spilled backwards by Flanagan towards the in-goal after a big hit from Jai Field, with the Warriors full-back also pouncing on the loose ball to score. Adam Keighran was on target this time as the Warriors reduced their deficit to just two-points.
The hosts increased their advantage back to 8-points on 55 minutes though, after Leroy Cudjoe ran the ball up to the line, from the play-the-ball a fired pass to Joe Greenwood saw the towering second rower crash over. Flanagan made it three from three with the boot for 18-10 in Huddersfield’s favour.
Wigan tried their luck through Junior Nsemba just after the hour before he was wrapped up for a turnover, before the introduction of Patrick Mago on 66 minutes ignited some go forward for Wigan, but a pass to the left edge found touch before Liam Marshall was then stopped in his tracks as Huddersfield continued to deny the Warriors going into the final 10 minutes.
Wigan’s persistence paid as Jack Farrimond got Wigan over again in the 73rd minute, with space on the left Jai Field flashed through the defence before getting a pass inside to Jack Farrimond at speed to dive over the whitewash for Wigan’s third of the afternoon. Adam Keighran converted the score as Wigan sat two-points adrift with 5 minutes to play.
A late flurry from Jack Farrimond saw him dive over for his second of the afternoon on 79 minutes, snatching the two-points out of Huddersfield’s grasp as Liam Marshall converted the late score from the touchline to see Wigan to a 22-18 victory in Round 14.
Gallery:
Image: Bernard Platt
Huddersfield Giants: George Flanagan, Jacob Gagai, Taane Milne, Sam Halsall, Jake Bibby, Tui Lolohea, Adam Clune, Oliver Wilson, Zac Woolford, Tristan Powell, Sam Hewitt, Joe Greenwood, Leroy Cudjoe.
Interchange: Ashton Golding, George King, Tom Burgess, Kieran Rush.
18th Player: Matty English.
Tries: Flanagan (19′), King (38′), Greenwood (55′)
Goals: Flanagan 3/3
Wigan Warriors: Jai Field, Zach Eckersley, Adam Keighran, Jake Wardle, Liam Marshall, Jack Farrimond, Harry Smith, Ethan Havard, Brad O’Neill, Liam Byrne, Junior Nsemba, Liam Farrell, Kaide Ellis.
Interchange: Patrick Mago, Kruise Leeming, Tyler Dupree, Harvie Hill.
18th Player: Jacob Douglas.
Tries: Marshall (12′), Field (41′), Farrimond (73′, 79′)
Goals: Keighran 2/3, Marshall 1/1
Referee: Liam Moore
Attendance: 4,982
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