Despite being without the devastating twosome of Field and
French, Wigan Warriors were still massive favourites with the bookies to take
the points against the Catalans Dragons which would lift them back within two
of the league leaders Hull KR, and more importantly, three points clear of the
chasing Leigh Leopards.
Few gave the visiting Dragons a hope, the bookmakers giving
them a twenty point start on the coupon, as their quest to avoid ending the season
in the bottom three.
The Dragons failed to score a point against the Warriors
when the two sides last met at the ed of May, the Warriors scoring forty-eight
unanswered points on that occasion.
Ater a great start from the Dragons it was Wigan who
registered the first points on eight minutes, Jake Wardle taking the pass from
Liam Marshall to dove in at the corner and ground by the corner flag. Harry
Smith was unable to add the conversion from the touchline.
On fourteen Jack Farrimond created a try for himself, and he
chased his own grubber, dribbled it forward and then collected and grounded. This
time Smith was on target with the conversion for 10-0.
Two minutes before the interval Wigan struck a hammer blow. Junior
Nsemba offloaded the ball to Adam Keighran who went through a gap before
finding Kruise Leeming in support to score under the sticks. Harry Smith was on
target again for a 16-0 half time lead.
The Dragones needed to score first in the second half and
they did just that on fifty-five. Léo Darrélatour made the initial break before
finding César Rougé in support to run the angle and cross from ten metres out.
Guillermo Airpuro-Bichet added the conversion for 6-16.
The fightback last just five minutes before Wigan got their
third try, Zach Eckersley taking the pass and bouncing off two tacklers before
hitting the ground and sliding over. Smith hit the mark with the conversion for
22-6.
Twelve minutes remained when Tommy Makinson exploited space
down the left wing to take a Theo Fages miss-out pass to dove in from five
metres. Aispuro-Bichet drilled his conversion between the uprights, the gap
back down to ten points.
Brad O’Neill banished any thoughts of a shock fightback as
he went from acting half back, through a gap in a tiring Dragons defence to go
over. Smith hit the mark again and with three minutes remaining it was 28-12.
Alrix Da Costa grabbed a very late consolation with seconds
remaining as he pushed over the line and smuggled the ball onto the ground
under the tackle. Aispuro-Bichet added the conversion for a final score of 28-18.
Wigan got the win but not by the margin that they might have
expected against a Catalans Dragons side who are in the midst of a deeply
disappointing season. But a win is a win, and the two points are most welcome
as the Warriors try to keep Hull KR within reach at the top of the table. Yet
another Dragons loss which leaves them within striking distance of the
Castleford Tigers and in danger of slipping to tenth place in the table.
Wigan Warriors: Eckersley (T), Douglas, Keighran, Wardle (T),
Marshall, Farrimond (T), Smith (G 4/5), Havard, O’Neill (T), Dupree, Nsemba, Farrell,
Ellis. Subs: Mago, Byrne, Leeming (T), Hill. 18th Man: Hodkinson.
Catalans Dragons: Aispuro-Bichet (G 3/3), Makinson (T),
Laguerre, Darrélatour, Yaha, Rougé (T), Fages, Sims, Da Costa (T), Bousquet,
Sironen, Garcia, Partington. Subs: Satae, Navarette, Maria, Balmforth. 18th
Man: Pangai Jr.
Half-Time: 16-0.
Full-Time: 28-18.
Score Progression: 4-0, 8-0, 10-0, 14-0, 16-0 : HT: 16-4,
16-6, 20-6, 22-6, 22-10, 22-12, 26-12, 28-12, 28-16, 28-18 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: Wigan.
Referee: Jack Smith.
