Dewsbury 4 Wigan 54: Warriors prove too strong for Rams

Dewsbury Rams suffered a first half blitz at the hands of a very strong Wigan Warriors as they bowed out of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup.
Paul Sykes darts through to score for Dewsbury.Paul Sykes darts through to score for Dewsbury.
Paul Sykes darts through to score for Dewsbury.

Wigan coach Shaun Wane opted to play his strongest side available and it paid of as the Super League side ran in five tries in the opening 18 minutes on their way to building up a 36-4 half-time lead.

Josh Charnley opened the scoring inside two minutes after Wigan moved play quickly left and the Warriors winger could have had a second soon after but opted to pass to George Williams right on the try line and the stand-off finished the move.

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Dewsbury responded with a spell of pressure but Wigan counter attacked swiftly and Charnley grabbed his second try at the corner.

Charnley took over the kicking duties, after Matt Smith had missed the first two conversions, but he was also wide of the mark with his kick and Wigan had to settle for a 12-0 lead.

Oliver Gildart dummied through and stepped behind the posts to give Charnley a simple conversion, to ironic cheers from the huge Wigan support gathered behind the posts.

Williams then sent full-back Dan Sarginson racing over and Charnley’s conversion gave Wigan a 24-0 lead after 18 minutes.

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Dewsbury responded and stand-off Paul Sykes spotted a gap, which he raced through to dive over for an unconverted try.

Sykes was sent racing away soon after only to be pulled back for a forward pass.

Wigan then clicked back into gear as Williams and Smith linked to set up a lovely try for John Bateman, which Charnley improved.

Bateman beat two Rams defenders to score a second try in four minutes and Charnley’s fourth goal extended Wigan’s interval lead to 36-4.

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The Warriors added an eighth try a minute after the re-start when Ryan Sutton stretched over and Charnley converted.

Lewis Tierney broke a tackle and raced through before sending Gildart storming over for his second try, which Charnley goaled from the touchline.

Dalton Grant went close for the Rams as he raced down the touchline but was tackled inches short of the line but Tierney brought up Wigan’s half century when he stretched over at the side of the posts and Charnley tagged on his seventh goal.

To Dewsbury’s credit, they dug deep to deny Wigan further points in the final 24 minutes.

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The Rams were almost rewarded with a second consolation try when Jason Crookes latched onto a pass and crashed over the line but had knocked on.

Dewsbury Rams: Guzdek; Kudangirana, Crookes, Grady, Grant; Sykes, Kain; L Adamson, Speakman, Teanby, Hale, Trout, Farrell. Substitutes: Conroy, Brown, Muranka, Walker.

Wigan Warriors: Sarginson; Manfredi, Gelling, Gildart, Charnley; Williams, Smith; Crosby, Powell, Mossop, Bateman, Isa, O’Loughlin. Substitutes: Tautai, Sutton, Tierney, Burke.

Referee: C Campbell (RFL).