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Wakefield Trinity 20 Harlequins 18: Brough goals Grix's late try to ensure Trinity snatch stirrring win
Danny Brough converted Scott Grix's last-minute try to hand Wakefield victory in a thrilling encounter against engage Super League play-off rivals Harlequins.
The Londoners looked to have secured victory with second-half scores from Luke Gale and Chad Randall to add to an earlier touchdown from Danny Orr.
Yet the Wildcats refused to surrender and Grix dived over in the right corner to add to first-half tries from Oliver Wilkes and Tony Martin before Brough had the final say with his fourth goal of the game.
Wakefield began the brighter but gifted Harlequins the lead following a dreadful mistake by Grix who dropped the ball 20 metres short of his own line and Orr needed no second invitation to collect and scamper clear.
He touched down just wide of the posts, giving himself a routine conversion and his side a 6-0 advantage.
The response from Wakefield was impressive and Brough was pivotal in drawing them level within three minutes.
The influential scrum-half collected a loose ball just inside his own half and showed both speed to outpace a number of Quins defenders and intelligence to usher the supporting Wilkes over the line from around 20 metres out.
Matt Gafa made a desperate late lunge to halt Wilkes's progress but it was not enough and the ball was grounded. Brough added the extras.
Brad Drew, a pivotal figure for the home side at hooker, fashioned a promising move which could have led to another try. A neat, short offload to the right found Brough and he kept the move flowing with a pass to Jason Demetriou, but the captain spilled the ball and the opportunity was lost.
John Kear's men maintained the pressure and within seconds claimed their second try. Drew started it with a run from deep inside the hosts' half and he spotted Martin advancing forward at pace before slipping him a perfectly-timed pass which allowed the stand-off to sprint into the left corner. Brough could not convert as the angle proved too difficult.
He faltered again with the boot five minutes after the break with a penalty that sailed wide of the posts. In the 51st minute, however, he did manage to land a penalty to edge his side further ahead but Harlequins stunned their hosts to draw level on the hour mark. Stand-off Gale, with a combination of searing pace and clever footwork, darted through a gap in the home defence and crossed for a try which Orr converted with ease.
Another penalty from Brough kept Wakefield in contention but Quins had their third try in the 69th minute when Randall collected a pass from Karl Temata and touched down for a try which Orr converted.
However, Wakefield's late pressure told and Sean Gleeson's pass found Grix in the right corner and he dived over before Brough added the conversion from the touchline to send Belle Vue into raptures.
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats: Blaymire, Peterson, Atkins, Gleeson, Grix, Martin, Brough, Bibey, Drew, Korkidas, Wilkes, Snitch, Demetriou. Substitutes: Stosic, Moore, Winternstein, Leo-Latu.
Harlequins: O'Callaghan, Melling, Gafa, Howell, Gardner, Gale, Orr, Ward, Randall, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Temata, Williamson, Golden. Substitutes: Haggerty, Heckenberg, Clubb, Skee.
Referee: R Silverwood (Dewsbury).
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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