Wakefield Trinity 22 Wigan Warriors 23 - coach Chris Chester picks out positives after fightback falls just short

They could have folded when Wigan went 22-6 ahead early in the second half, but Trinity stuck to their guns and scored three tries in a dramatic finale.

The eight tries were shared and a well-taken drop goal by Wigan’s highly-rated young scrum-half Harry Smith proved the difference at the end.

Trinity included their two lockdown signings and, on this evidence, both will add something to the team when they settle in. Full-back Tony Gigot made several errors, but provided the kick for one try - which was finished in amazing fashion by Tom Johnstone - and handled in the build-up to another, scored by Liam Kay for the first of his brace.

The ex-Leigh and Toronto man, who began his career at Wakefield, didn’t get much ball, but is a reliable finisher.

Coach Chris Chester was pleased with his side’s spirit, but admitted their first-half errors proved costly.

“Obviously I am disappointed to lose the game,” Chester said.

“I just thought we paid them too much respect in the first half. We spoke in the week about making sure we completed high in the first half, but we didn’t do that - we were just less than 50 per cent.

“Some guys were probably guilty of trying too hard, trying to over-play but, obviously, I am happy and proud of their effort and it could have gone either way with a minute to go.”

Gigot opened the scoring with an early penalty, but Wigan grabbed the first try, on 14 minutes, when Smith - an early replacement for ankle-injury victim Thomas Leuluai - provided the final pass for Zak Hardaker, who landed his first conversion.

Ten later, Bevan French - who later suffered damage to his back -dived on to Hardaker’s kick to make it 10-2.

Trinity cut the gap six minutes before the interval when Kyle Wood sliced through for a fine solo effort from acting-half, but Gigot’s kick hit a post. That came after both Trinity’s halves had been held up over Wigan’s line, Jacob Miller by Hardaker and Max Jowitt in Morgan Smithies’ tackle.

Trinity had responded well to Wigan’s first two tries, but their task was made harder three minutes before the break when Liam Marshall went over from Jackson Hastings’ kick.

Trinity were still in the game, if only just, but when Jake Bibby powered over - and Hardaker landed a touchline conversion - just 11 minutes into the second period, it was a long way back.

There was little sign of a fightback until Wakefield, the home side in a behind-closed-doors fixture played on neutral ground, were lifted by Johnstone’s magic with 14 minutes remaining.

Gigot kicked to the left edge and the winger added another stunning try to his catalogue, making an mid-air catch and putting the ball down one-handed, from a seemingly impossible angle, under pressure from French - and despite being hampered by an arm injury. Gigot’s goal from wide out cut the gap to 10 points and when Kay went in for an unconverted try, from Reece Lyne’s pass, it was game on with only six points in it.

Smith was aware enough to land a drop goal with three minutes left, but Johnson batted the restart back and in that set Kay went over again and Jowitt added the extras with 97 seconds remaining.

Wakefield had one chance to send the game into golden-point, but Miller’s couldn’t find the mark with a drop goal attempt.

Wakefield Trinity: Gigot, Kay, Lyne. Tupou, Johnstone, Miller, Jowitt, Kopczak, J Wood, Navarrete, Pitts, Tanginoa, Arona. Subs K Wood, Fifita, Kirmond, Tangata.

Wigan Warriors: French, Manfredi, Hardaker, Bibby, Marshall, Leuluai, Hastings, Bullock, Powell, Byrne, Isa, Farrell, Harvard. Subs G Burgess, Clark, Smithies, Smith.

Referee: Ben Thaler (Wakefield).