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 procedure of vengeance 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 deliver a tight scoreline however a 4th defeat in 5 methods they stay second from bottom.


They have been struck hard by early-season injuries, with head coach Adrian Lam exposing before kick-off he is down to 18 fit gamers, but 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 actually yielded a stream of first-half penalties provided Trinity an upper hand.


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


Leigh came close in the 19th minute however Tom Johnstone, making his 200th profession appearance, prevented 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 .


But after Caius Faatili spilled possession in a take on by Liam Horne from the kick-off, Leigh penalized Trinity with full-back Gareth O'Brien requiring his method 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 provided the shot 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 after that Senior in the corner.


Leigh likewise had a shot 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 tackle off the ball just after the hour, proved crucial as Wakefield made the many of the additional 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 even though Jacob Alick-Wiencke crossed with 30 seconds left, the visitors fell short of finishing a comeback win.


'Pretty typical efficiency' - reaction


Wakefield boss Daryl Powell informed BBC Radio Leeds:


"2 points is 2 points but I thought it was a lovely typical performance. We were so negative at the start and got belted for territory 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 recently - in some cases that happens when you've had a big win.


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


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


Leigh head coach Adrian Lam told BBC Radio Manchester:


"There were some things that actually harmed us. The penalty count I believe was 7-1 at half-time which was simply outrageous.


"It's extremely difficult to compete when it resembles that however we hung in there. I'm proud of them for completing right to the very end.


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


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


"We just had 11 gamers train today. We're doing our finest. We just need to discover a win along the way so next week becomes truly, truly crucial to us.


"It's hard work 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