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 measure of revenge for their removal by Leigh in last season's play-offs as the Leopards' bad start to the Super League campaign continued.


Leigh, who finished third last season, scored 2 late tries to provide a tight scoreline but a 4th defeat in 5 means 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 players, 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 yielded a stream of first-half penalties gave Trinity a leg up.


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 outstanding Samoan outside Isaac Liu near to the Leigh line to discuss.


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 undertook prohibited for a foot in touch as he introduced himself in at the right-hand corner after some great defence from Innes Senior.


But after Caius Faatili spilled possession in a tackle by Liam Horne from the kick-off, Leigh punished Trinity with full-back Gareth O'Brien forcing his method over for the try to keep them in touch.


Myers stretched Wakefield's lead within two minutes of the second half beginning, as O'Brien stopped working to handle Tyson Smoothy's chip through and provided the shot to the winger after Faatili's agricultural 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 eliminated for a knock-on by Horne on a busy night for video referee .


But the loss of Hughes to the sin-bin, for a deal with off the ball just after the hour, proved important as Wakefield made the most of the extra man with Ollie Pratt reviewing 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 although Jacob Alick-Wiencke crossed with 30 seconds left, the visitors fell short of finishing a resurgence win.


'Pretty average efficiency' - reaction


Wakefield manager Daryl Powell told BBC Radio Leeds:


"2 points is 2 points but I thought it was a lovely typical efficiency. We were so unfavorable at the start and got belted for area in the 2nd half when our discipline was quite bad.


"Leigh were great, with the injuries they have actually got, and we didn't back up what we did last week - often that occurs when you've had a big win.


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


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


Leigh head coach Adrian Lam told BBC Radio Manchester:


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


"It's extremely hard to complete when it resembles that however we hung in there. I'm happy of them for competing right to the very end.


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


"We're there or thereabouts however a long method away - that's how it feels at the minute.


"We just had 11 gamers train this week. We're doing our finest. We just need to discover a win along the method so next week becomes really, really important to us.


"It's effort at the minute but 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