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 procedure 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 ended up third last season, scored 2 late tries to provide a tight scoreline however a fourth defeat in 5 methods they remain 2nd from bottom.


They have been hit hard by early-season injuries, with head coach Adrian Lam exposing before kick-off he is down to 18 fit gamers, however they were designers 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 charges provided Trinity an upper hand.


Wakefield led 8-4 at the break. Loose forward Jazz Tevaga provided the lead with his very first shot for the club in the 11th minute, with some late footwork taking the excellent 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 appearance, prevented stand-in centre Hughes grounding the ball over the line.


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


But after Caius Faatili spilled belongings 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 shot to keep them in touch.


Myers extended Wakefield's lead within 2 minutes of the 2nd half starting, as O'Brien stopped working to deal with Tyson Smoothy's chip through and provided the try to the winger after Faatili's farming kick on the last take on 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 then Senior in the corner.


Leigh also undertook 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 tackle off the ball simply after the hour, proved vital as Wakefield maximized the extra guy with Ollie Pratt going over in the 64th minute.


Josh Charnley pulled a shot 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 fell short of completing a comeback win.


'Pretty average performance' - reaction


Wakefield boss Daryl Powell informed BBC Radio Leeds:


"2 points is two points however I thought it was a beautiful typical efficiency. We were so negative at the start and got belted for territory in the 2nd half when our discipline was pretty bad.


"Leigh were fantastic, with the injuries they've got, and we didn't support what we did recently - in some cases that happens when you have actually had a big win.


"We can play better than that, we have to play much better than that, we have to enhance 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 throughout the 80 minutes."


Leigh head coach Adrian Lam informed BBC Radio Manchester:


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


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


"It was three attempts all at the end. If we kick our objectives we tie the 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 this week. We're doing our finest. We simply have to discover a win along the way so next week becomes truly, really crucial to us.


"It's effort at the minute 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: .


Leigh Leopards