Wakefield Trinity 6 Wigan Warriors 36 Challenge Cup quarter-final match report

The 36-6 scoreline suggests Wigan Warriors cruised into the Betfred Challenge Cup semi-finals at Wakefield Trinity’s expense, but that was far from the case.
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Wigan were too strong in the end, but Wakefield - missing key players including star winger Tom Johnstone (back) and captain/stand-off Jacob Miller - gave them a huge fright in the first half.

Trinity, on a four-match winning run, dfid not deserve to go in 12-6 down, having put the visitors under huge pressure and got over the line three times without reward, on top of the one try they did score.

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But, Wigan’s defence was magnificent and when they did close to Wakefield’s line, they made their chances count.

Lewis Murphy scores Trinity's try. Picture by Tony Johnson.Lewis Murphy scores Trinity's try. Picture by Tony Johnson.
Lewis Murphy scores Trinity's try. Picture by Tony Johnson.

Two tries in five minutes either side of the break then swung the tie their way and, while Trinity never gave in, there was no way back.

Wigan opened the scoring after 13 minutes, before they’d had a play-the-ball in Trinity’s 20, Jai Field going over for the first of his hat-trick from a break by Liam Farrell.

That came moments after what might have been a try for young winger Lewis Murphy, whoi replaced Johnstone on Trinity’s left flank.

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He stretched over one-handed from a pass by Max Jowitt and referee James Child indicated a try, but he was overruled by video assistant Robert Hicks. That was an outstanding defensive contribution from Zak Hardaker, who shoved the rookie into touch just before he got the ball down.

Wakefield's James Batchelor runs at Morgan Smithies. Picture by Tony Johnson.Wakefield's James Batchelor runs at Morgan Smithies. Picture by Tony Johnson.
Wakefield's James Batchelor runs at Morgan Smithies. Picture by Tony Johnson.

Hardaker landed the first of his perfect six conversions, but Murphy was in the thick of a 12-point turnaround as Trinity levelled at the end of the opening quarter. First, he did superbly to hammer Iain Thornley into touch when the winger seemed certain to score; then in the resulting set, he reached over from Corey Hall’s pass in a repeat of the earlier near-miss, but this time the ball was down before he landed over the sideline.

Jowitt’s goal levelled the scores and Trinity twice went close to snatching the lead, James Batchelor being held up over the line by John Bateman before Lee Gaskell - returning from an elbow injury in place of Miller - sliced through, but the touchdown was ruled out for an obstruction.

Trinity could not have given much more, but with four minutes left on the clock Ethan Harvard scored from Thomas Leuluai’s offload and it took Wigan just 50 seconds of the second half to extend their advantage, Field scoring his second try from an offload by Patrick Mago.

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Wakefield had one clear chance to get back in the game when Jowitt ran across Wigan’s defence, but Murphy spilled his pass a few metres out.

Reece Lyne offloads out of a tackle by Wigan's Jake Bibby. Picture by Tony Johnson.Reece Lyne offloads out of a tackle by Wigan's Jake Bibby. Picture by Tony Johnson.
Reece Lyne offloads out of a tackle by Wigan's Jake Bibby. Picture by Tony Johnson.

Wigan sealed it with 17 minutes left when Bevan French set up field position for Hardaker to go over;Farrell touched down after neither Liam Kay nor Jowitt had been able to deal with a kick from Cust and Field completed his hat-trick in the final minute.

Wigan will play St Helens in the semi-finals at Elland Road on May 7, with Hull KR facing Huddersfield Giants.

Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt, Kay, Lyne, Hall, Murphy, Gaskell, Lino, Arona, Hood, Tanginoa, Pitts, Ashurst, Batchelor. Subs Whitbread, Bowes, Battye, Crowther.

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Wigan Warriors: Field, Thornley, Bibby, Hardaker, French, Cust, Leuluai, Singleton, Powell, Partington, Farrell, Bateman, Smithies. Subs Mago, Byrne, Havard, Shorrocks.

Referee: James Child (Dewsbury).

Attendance: 3,756.

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