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 step 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 completed third last season, scored 2 late tries to provide a tight scoreline however a 4th defeat in 5 methods they remain 2nd from bottom.


They have been hit hard by early-season injuries, with head coach Adrian Lam revealing before kick-off he is down to 18 fit gamers, however they were designers of their own downfall at the DIY Kitchens Stadium with their indiscipline.


A second-half sin-binning for Jack Hughes after they had conceded a stream of first-half penalties gave Trinity a leg up.


Wakefield led 8-4 at the break. Loose forward Jazz Tevaga gave them the lead with his very first try for the club in the 11th minute, with some late footwork taking the remarkable Samoan outside Isaac Liu near the Leigh line to go over.


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


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


Myers extended Wakefield's lead within 2 minutes of the second half starting, as O'Brien stopped working to handle Tyson Smoothy's chip through and provided the try to the winger after Faatili's farming kick on the last deal with had actually caused confusion in the Leigh ranks.


Brilliant defence from Max Jowitt rejected 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 had a shot from Frankie Halton dismissed for a knock-on by Horne on a hectic night for video Moore.


But the loss of Hughes to the sin-bin, for a take on off the ball just after the hour, showed essential as Wakefield took advantage of the additional male 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 even though Jacob Alick-Wiencke crossed with 30 seconds left, the visitors fell short of completing a resurgence win.


'Pretty typical performance' - response


Wakefield manager Daryl Powell told BBC Radio Leeds:


"2 points is two points but I thought it was a pretty average performance. We were so negative at the start and got belted for territory in the 2nd half when our discipline was pretty poor.


"Leigh were great, with the injuries they have actually got, and we didn't support what we did recently - sometimes that occurs when you've had a big win.


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


"We had 33% area in the 2nd half and their line speed and intent was a bit much better than ours across the 80 minutes."


Leigh head coach Adrian Lam informed BBC Radio Manchester:


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


"It's extremely difficult to compete when it's like that however we hung in there. I take pride in them for completing right to the very end.


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


"We're there or thereabouts but 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 simply need to find a win along the method so next week ends up being truly, really important to us.


"It's effort at the minute 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