Leigh 26-40 Wakefield: Match report & reaction

Match stats: Leigh 26-40

Leigh tries: Naughton (15, 50), Acton (19), Dawson (37, 44)
Leigh conversions/penalties: Drinkwater (15, 19, 50) 

Wakefield tries: Miller (2), Kirmond (5, 67), Lyne (13), Arundel (56), Caton-Brown (64)
Wakefield conversions/penalties:  Finn (2, 5, 10, 13, 24, 56, 64, 67)

Match report

Wakefield let slip a 20-0 lead before recovering to beat Leigh 40-26 in a high-scoring Super League clash at the Sports Village.

In a what was at times a chaotic, end-to-end encounter, Leigh showed admirable fighting spirit but it was not enough to stop them slipping to their eighth consecutive defeat in all competitions.

Wakefield made a whirlwind start and were 20-0 up after only 14 minutes. Matty Ashurst set up Jacob Miller for Wakefield's first try in the third minute after initial good work by Liam Finn, who also added the conversion.Leigh still had not touched the ball by the time Wakefield crossed for their second try moments later.

 Second rower Danny Kirmond was able to fend off several would-be tackles on a 15-metre charge. Finn kicked the conversion and also added a penalty in the 11th minute.

And when Wakefield scored a third try in the 14th minute it looked like game over for the home side.  A long pass was picked out by Wakefield centre Reece Lynne who raced 60 metres to score.

But then it was Leigh's turn to enjoy some possession and in the 16th minute they got off the mark. Winger Curtis Naughton was first to react when a loose pass was kicked ahead and he scored under the posts.

Three minutes later, Centurions were in again.

Second rower Jamie Acton hit Eloi Pelissier's short pass from close range to score. A Finn penalty briefly stemmed the tide for Trinity but Leigh finished the half strongly with a third try.

Gregg McNally's pass to the corner gave Matty Dawson the chance to finish well in the corner and although Josh Drinkwater could not add the goal, it meant the half-time deficit was only a converted try.

Leigh continued the fightback after the restart when Dawson scored his second try after taking Ryan Hampshire's kick to the corner, reducing the Wakefield lead to just two and they did not have to wait long to take the lead.

Again it was Hampshire who created the chance with a kick which was flicked on by Gareth Hock to Naughton and he touched down in the 49th minute. Drinkwater's conversion saw Leigh 26-22 up.

The try, though, served as something of a wake-up call for Chris Chester's side and they found their second wind as the final quarter approached.

Centre Joe Arundel finished off a counter attack in the corner and Finn's goal restored Wakefield's lead.

Leigh's chances were further hindered by the 63rd minute sin-binning of Danny Tickle and Wakefield took advantage of their extra man almost immediately. Some quick hands to the left side gave winger Mason Caton-Brown a chance to show his pace and he produced a superb dart to the corner.

The visitors wrapped up the win with a second try from Kirmond under the posts and with Finn adding his eighth goal from as many attempts, the game was well beyond Leigh. 

Match reaction

Wakefield coach Chris Chester:  "It was a bizarre game. We controlled the ball really well and for about 10-15 minutes I don't think Leigh touched the ball. We deserved the two points but we allowed Leigh back into the game with some poor discipline. Leigh are a good side and we knew they were going to challenge us.

"We are pleased to get a win because this is a tough place to come and the crowd got behind them. It was a game where we had to grind out the win as we suffered a few injuries. When we get field position we will score points because we are a good attacking side. We were more disciplined in the second half and came up with some good options.

"There was plenty of effort from the Leigh boys and I'm sure they will get out of the hole they're in." 

Leigh coach Neil Jukes: "I wasn't pleased with effort in the first eight minutes when all we did was defend. We were soft defensively but when we started to get a grip on things we gave ourselves a chance. We showed great character to fight back from 20-0 down and then be in front. But again it was a case of not having the quality to make the right calls at the right time.

"Some of the stuff we can fix up in training but other mistakes are happening in games that I can't control. I thought we challenged them with ball in hand but we were guilty of shooting ourselves in the foot defensively. These are the fine margins we are dealing with at this level and some of the 50-50s went against us."