Warriors win against Giants – Wigan Warriors

• Match report as Wigan Warriors win against Huddersfield Giants at the John Smith’s Stadium.
• Liam Marshall scored a hat-trick while Bevan French and Abbas Miski grabbed the brace.
• FT| Huddersfield Giants 6-48 Wigan Warriors.

Match report as Wigan Warriors win away to Huddersfield Giants in Round 11 of the Betfred Super League.

Report

The Warriors were reduced to 12 men at the first tackle as Liam Byrne was booked for a high tackle on Matty English. Wigan immediately got on the scoreboard as they camped on their own goal line, the Giants passed the ball to Marshall to race the length of the field for the opening score. Harry Smith converted from the foul line to make it 6-0 after 4 minutes.

Huddersfield threatened to hit back soon after the Englishman broke the line to get the ball to Clune, but ran into traffic before the Giants’ spot-kick went straight into the hands of Abbas Miski to deny the hosts. On to the field, Wigan were then awarded a penalty for an off-ball tackle 25m out, which Harry Smith slotted between the sticks for 8-0 in as many minutes.

The hosts responded in the 14th minute when they came out of their own half to see Elliot Wallis weave under the sticks. Connor added the extra and it was 8-6 for the Warriors.

A couple of set pieces were shared before Wigan extended their lead in the 19th minute. French collected a loose ball before being tackled on the halfway line, before appearing again in the next tackle to slip between the defense with a show and left, throwing himself in front of the traveling Warriors support. The wide-out conversion try was disallowed but it stood 12-6 in Wigan’s favour.

In the 25th minute, Wigan had a great chance to extend their lead, Jai Field sent in a hushed shot which Liam Marshall made a diving effort to the ground, but it was not to be for the Warriors. With set for set split towards the end of the half, the teams went into halftime with the Warriors on top.

The Warriors came out firing in the second half when Liam Marshall scored just two minutes after the restart. Jai Field produced the cut back pass to find the winger who came back inside to cross for his second. The conversion from Harry Smith was straight over the bar to make it 18-6.

After a period of sustained pressure, the Giants defense finally cracked when Bevan French crossed for his second of the afternoon just after the hour mark. A short pass from Jai Field allowed him to sneak in to score under the sticks, which Smith converted for 24-6.

Soon after, the Warriors scored a fifth, breaking from halfway through Jai Field, the ball went through the hands to find Liam Marshall on the wing to touch down for his hat-trick try. Harry Smith was on target again with the boot as Wigan hit 30-6.

The Warriors struck again just minutes later as hot heels from the Frenchman saw him on the line to fire an outrageous offload from the back to find Kruise Leeming to slide over, again close to the uprights for Harry Smith to add two more points from the tee, making it 36-6.

Esan Marsters was booked in the 72nd minute for a tackle on Bevan French as the Giants were forced to see out the game with 12 men.

Abbas Miski added his name to the scoresheet with two tries in the final six minutes, both efforts converted by Harry Smith to see Wigan to a 48-6 away win.

Huddersfield Giants: Jake Connor, Sam Halsall, Esan Marsters, Kevin Naiqama, Elliot Wallis, Tui Lolohea, Adam Clune, Oliver Wilson, Adam Milner, Matty English, Harry Rushton, Leroy Cudjoe, Luke Yates.

Exchanges: Joe Greenwood, Sam Hewitt, Ashton Golding, Sebastine Ikahihifo.

18th player: Oliver Russell.

Try: Wallis (14′)

Objectives: Connor 1/1

Sin Bin: Marsters (72′)

Wigan Warriors: Jai Field, Abbas Miski, Adam Keighran, Jake Wardle, Liam Marshall, Bevan French, Harry Smith, Luke Thompson, Brad O’Neill, Liam Byrne, Junior Nsemba, Liam Farrell, Kaide Ellis.

Exchanges: Ethan Havard, Patrick Mago, Kruise Leeming, Tyler Dupree.

18th player: Harvey Hill.

Try: Marshall (2′, 42′, 64′), French (19′, 61′), Leeming (68′), Miski (74′, 78′)

Objectives: Smith 8/9

Sin Bin: Byrne (1′)