Wakefield Add 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 vengeance for their removal by Leigh in last season's play-offs as the Leopards' poor start to the Super League project continued.


Leigh, who completed third last season, scored two late tries to provide a tight scoreline but a fourth defeat in five ways they remain 2nd from bottom.


They have been struck hard by early-season injuries, with head coach Adrian Lam revealing 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 conceded a stream of first-half charges provided Trinity a leg up.


Wakefield led 8-4 at the break. Loose forward Jazz Tevaga gave them 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 the Leigh line to discuss.


Leigh came close in the 19th minute however Tom Johnstone, making his 200th profession look, prevented stand-in centre Hughes grounding the ball over the line.


Wakefield's Jayden Myers undertook disallowed 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 deal with by Liam Horne from the kick-off, Leigh punished Trinity with full-back Gareth O'Brien requiring his way over for the shot to keep them in touch.


Myers stretched Wakefield's lead within 2 minutes of the second half beginning, as to deal with Tyson Smoothy's chip through and presented the shot to the winger after Faatili's agricultural kick on the last take on had caused confusion in the Leigh ranks.


Brilliant defence from Max Jowitt rejected very 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 ruled out 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 take on off the ball just after the hour, proved vital as Wakefield made the most of the additional guy with Ollie Pratt going over in the 64th minute.


Josh Charnley pulled a try back with 10 minutes left from Adam Cook's pass - his 258th in Super League - but even though Jacob Alick-Wiencke crossed with 30 seconds left, the visitors fell short of completing a return win.


'Pretty average efficiency' - response


Wakefield manager Daryl Powell informed BBC Radio Leeds:


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


"Leigh were terrific, with the injuries they have actually got, and we didn't back up 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 better than that, we need to enhance and discover some lessons from it.


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


Leigh head coach Adrian Lam informed BBC Radio Manchester:


"There were some things that truly hurt us. The penalty count I believe was 7-1 at half-time which was simply outrageous.


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


"It was 3 tries all at the end. If we kick our goals we connect the video game but it wasn't to be.


"We exist or thereabouts however a long method away - that's how it feels at the moment.


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


"It's effort at the moment 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: Chris Kendall.


Leigh Leopards