Wigan come from behind to thrash lowly Huddersfield

Betfred Super League

Wigan (0) 30

Tries: Wade, Wardle 2, Dupree, Nsemba Goals: Keighran 5

Huddersfield (10) 10

Wigan Warriors scored 30 unanswered points as they came from 10-0 down at half-time to beat Huddersfield Giants at The Brick Community Stadium.

Tui Lolohea and Jason Gagai gave the Giants hope of a first away win at Wigan for six years with first-half tries.

But Wigan roared back after the break, touching down five times through Christian Wade, Jake Wardle’s double, Tyler Dupree and Junior Nsemba.

The result means they remain second in Super League, with the Giants 11th despite a brave performance.

Lolohea stunned Wigan inside five minutes, chasing down Matt Frawley’s uncontested high kick before turning to touch down, with Flanagan converting for the extras.

Wigan’s disjointed defence cost them again when Frawley was halted just shy of the line, the Giants recycled the ball and Lolohea found Gagai in space to cross.

Warriors’ first-half misery was compounded when Jay Field danced through the Giants defence, only to pass forward to Liam Farrell as what looked a certain try went begging.

Harry Smith’s quick feet then looked to have finally unlocked the Huddersfield defence with half-time looming, but the video referee deemed Patrick Mago interfered from an offside position.

Wade finally hauled Wigan back into the game after a strong start to the second half, with Smith and Field combining for the former England rugby union player to cross, before Keighran converted from a tight angle.

Just moments later, Wardle put the finishing touches to a wonderful Wigan try as they wiped out Huddersfield’s lead. He crossed on the left after Smith’s huge, switching kick on the other flank and Keighran kicked to give the hosts the lead.

Wigan were now in full control and, on 65 minutes, Wardle scored again, this time a perfectly constructed try from right to left, leaving Gagai exposed and making it an easy score. Once again, Keighran converted.

Wigan: Field, Douglas, Eckersley, Wardle, Wade, Keighran, Smith, Harvard, O’Neill, Dupree, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis

Interchanges: Mago, Byrne, Leeming, Meekin, Forber

Huddersfield: Flanagan, Swift, Halsall, Milne, Gagai, Lolohea, Frawley, English, Woolford, Powell, Rushton, Greenwood, Cudjoe

Interchanges: Golden, Hewitt, King, Rush, Bibby