Super League: Huddersfield Giants 6-48 Wigan Warriors

Try: Marshall 3, French 2, Leeming, Miski 2 Objectives: Smith 8

Liam Marshall’s hat-trick and a stunning display from Bevan French helped Wigan Warriors climb to the top of Super League as they beat Huddersfield Giants.

Wigan sent Liam Byrne to the basket in the first minute after his high tackle on Matty English, but Marshall ran the length of the pitch moments later to get Wigan going.

Elliott Wallis scored from distance to get Huddersfield on the board but French’s try gave Wigan a six-point cushion at the break.

Marshall and French added their second scores after the restart, the former then dancing for the third, before Kruise Leeming and Abbas Miski wrapped up the win.

Despite their player disadvantage after Byrne’s yellow card in the early stages of the game, it was Wigan who raced ahead thanks to a lunging run from Marshall.

The Wigan winger intercepted a pass virtually on his own tryline and showed incredible pace despite the early summer heat at the John Smith’s Stadium.

Harry Smith’s boot put the visitors 8-0 up and Huddersfield finally got on the scoresheet after Byrne’s return to the pitch.

Wallis ran from deep in his own half in similar fashion to Wigan’s score and rounded Marshall before touching down to reduce the gap to two points.

The French easily slotted in with 20 minutes to go to give the Warriors a six-point lead before Wigan took control in the second half.

Marshall’s second try came as he worked Jai Field’s pass to break through after a repeat set and he soon had his third.

A flowing set of turnovers to Marshall on the wing saw him head into space to touch down and put the visitors away.

The pick of Wigan’s tries would no doubt be Leeming’s score as the game ticked away as he worked a sensational late offload from the Frenchman to contest.

Huddersfield finished the game with 12 men as Esan Marsters stuck out a leg to bring down the Frenchman in the middle of another Wigan attack.

Wigan took no time at all to make their lead count, however, with French again in the thick of the action as he sent through Miski to take the 40-point mark.

Miski doubled his tally with two minutes remaining after going through with ease, his score ensuring the Cherries and Whites would go top of the Super League on points difference – and with a game in hand.

Huddersfield: Connor; Halsall, Marsters, Naiqama, Wallis; Lolohea, Clune; Wilson, Milner, English, Rushton, Cudjoe, Yates.

Exchanges: Golding, Ikahihifo, Greenwood, Hewitt.

Wigan: Field; Miski, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall; French, Smith; Thompson, O’Neill, Byrne, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis.

Exchanges: Havard, Mago, Leeming, Dupree.