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 as the Leopards' poor start to the Super League project continued.


Leigh, who finished third last season, scored 2 late shots to deliver a tight scoreline however a fourth defeat in 5 methods they stay 2nd from bottom.


They have actually been struck hard by early-season injuries, with head coach Adrian Lam exposing before kick-off he is down to 18 fit players, but they were architects of their own downfall at the DIY Kitchens Stadium with their indiscipline.


A second-half sin-binning for Jack Hughes after they had yielded a stream of first-half charges gave Trinity an upper hand.


Wakefield led 8-4 at the break. Loose forward Jazz Tevaga provided the lead with his very first try for the club in the 11th minute, with some late footwork taking the excellent Samoan outside Isaac Liu close to the Leigh line to discuss.


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


Wakefield's Jayden Myers had 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 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 extended Wakefield's lead within two minutes of the 2nd half starting, as O'Brien stopped working to handle Tyson Smoothy's chip through and provided the try to the winger after Faatili's agricultural kick on the last deal with had actually 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 after that Senior in the corner.


Leigh also undertook from Frankie Halton eliminated for a knock-on by Horne on a busy night for video referee Liam Moore.


But the loss of Hughes to the sin-bin, for a tackle off the ball just after the hour, showed important as Wakefield took advantage of the additional man 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 despite the fact that Jacob Alick-Wiencke crossed with 30 seconds left, the visitors disappointed finishing a comeback win.


'Pretty average efficiency' - response


Wakefield manager Daryl Powell informed BBC Radio Leeds:


"2 points is 2 points but I believed it was a beautiful typical performance. We were so unfavorable at the start and got belted for territory in the 2nd half when our discipline was quite bad.


"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've had a big win.


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


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


Leigh head coach Adrian Lam informed BBC Radio Manchester:


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


"It's really hard to contend when it's like that but we hung in there. I take pride in them for contending right to the very end.


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


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


"We just had 11 gamers train this week. We're doing our best. We simply need to find a win along the way so next week ends up being actually, actually crucial to us.


"It's effort at the moment but 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