Wakefield pull off shock win against in-form Wigan

Betfred Super League

Wakefield Trinity (10) 16

Tries: Faatili, Griffin, Johnstone Goals: Jowitt 2

Wigan Warriors (0) 10

Tries: Keighran, Field Goals: Keighran

Wigan Warriors squandered their chance to close the gap on Super League leaders Hull KR as they were stunned by an impressive Wakefield Trinity at Belle Vue.

Trinity weathered an early spell of pressure before opening up a 10-point lead at half-time through tries by Caius Faatili and Josh Griffin.

The sluggish Warriors failed to find their rhythm and, although Adam Keighran reduced the deficit to four points early in the second half, Trinity cemented their advantage with another score from Tom Johnstone.

Wigan eventually pulled back a late try through Jai Field, but it was not enough for them to stave off a third defeat of the campaign.

The result lifted Daryl Powell's side into the top half of the table and ended second-placed Wigan's nine-match winning run.

Heading into the game on the back of successive defeats, Trinity were immediately under pressure from the champions and spent most of the opening 15 minutes penned back near their goalline.

But the home side held firm, repelling Junior Nsemba's dive for the line before maximising their first genuine attack of the evening as Harvey Smith set up Faatili to spin his man and power over.

That score injected confidence into the Wakefield ranks, with Johnstone denied at the last by Liam Farrell, and Mason Lino's crafty kicking helping to trigger a series of defensive errors from the Warriors.

It was Lino's boot that enabled Trinity to extend their advantage before the interval as the scrum-half's kick split the Wigan line and Griffin eagerly gobbled up the opportunity, with Max Jowitt adding the extras to make it 10-0.

Wigan responded straight after the turnaround, winning two early penalties before Bevan French set up Keighran to gallop through on the right and dive across, and he followed it up with a successful conversion.

However, a mistake by Nsemba shortly afterwards gifted Trinity another set of tackles, and Jake Trueman's looping pass teed up winger Johnstone to score in the corner and restore his side's 10-point lead.

Jowitt, who had missed a routine conversion earlier in the game, was off target again with a penalty kick after Wigan were penalised for obstruction.

But it made no difference to the outcome as the Warriors – who had overturned a half-time deficit to triumph at Huddersfield last weekend – found the recovery job beyond them on this occasion.

Full-back Field narrowed the scoreline with seconds remaining after he collected Harry Smith's chip and raced away to cross the whitewash, but it was no more than a consolation for the champions.

Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt, Walmsley, Hall, Pratt, Johnstone, Trueman, Lino, Cozza, Smith, Faatili, Nikotemo, Griffin, Pitts.

Interchanges: Scott, Hood, Vagana, Croft.

Wigan Warriors: Field, Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall, French, Smith, Byrne, O'Neill, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis.

Interchanges: Havard, Mago, Leeming, Dupree.

Referee: Aaron Moore.