Wigan Warriors 12-16 St Helens
A bumper crowd descending on the DW stadium on Friday night to watch these fierce rivals lock horns for the 233rd league meeting. Wigan ravaged by injuries with no fewer than 7 1st team players missing. On the other hand St. Helens were looking to put there Good Friday hammering behind them.
It was a very tense opening 5 minutes with both teams trying to dominate one another. The breakthrough came on 8 minutes when young Joe burgess latched on to a superb kick from Sam Powell to claim his 16th try of the season. Matty smith stepped up but was unable to add the extras.
St Helens quickly turned on the pressure and somehow mark Flanagan managed a pass out of nowhere to send Tommy Makinson in the corner. Saints star Luke Walsh had to leave the field with what looked like a hip injury. So Makinson stepped up to try and covert his own kick but failed. With the score at 4-4 there was nothing between the 2 sides. Both sides wasted very good opportunities to take the lead and when into half time with the score all square at 4-4.
St. Helens flew out of the blocks in the second half and were ahead within 4 minutes Jon Wilkins kick couldn't be gathered by burgess and the captain Paul Wellens slid over much to the delight of the traveling saints fans!. Mark Percival stepped up and converted the try for 8-4 lead. Wigan almost conceded again when Bowen made a hash of collecting Hohaia's kick near his own line but they survived and struck against the run of play to draw level. Bowen was the creator with a cut-out pass which gave winger Josh Charnley the space to cross for his side's second try.
The pivotal moment came two minutes later when an offload in midfield from Samoan heavyweight Mose Masoe created space on Wigan's left and Makinson took Jordan Turner's pass to go past Sarginson and Bowen for his second try. Percival's touchline conversion put two scores between the teams and that proved crucial when Charnley went over for his second try three minutes from the end.