Wakefield Trinity 6 Wigan Warriors 36: Hosts’ wait for Challenge Cup final appearance goes on

WAKEFIELD TRINITY’S seemingly interminable wait for a Challenge Cup final appearance will continue into a 44th year, but they made a much greater contribution to a terrific last-eight tie than the 36-6 scoreline suggests.

Wigan Warriors were too strong in the end and there was no doubt they deserved their place in the semi-final double-header at Elland Road on May 7, when they will face holders St Helens.

But Wakefield - missing key players including star winger Tom Johnstone (back injury) and captain/stand-off Jacob Miller (quad muscle) - gave them a huge fright in the first half. Wakefield dominated in every aspect of that period, other than the one which mattered most, going in 12-6 down. Wigan rarely got out of their own half, but some resolute defence kept them in the contest and when they did get an opportunity to attack, they made their limited chances count.

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Trinity got over their opponents’ line without reward three times, but Wigan scored twice in five minutes either side of the interval to take a firm grip on the tie and after young winger Lewis Murphy missed a gilt-edged chance for the hosts, there was no way back.

CUP EXIT: Wakefield Trinity 6-36 Wigan Warriors. Picture: Tony Johnson.CUP EXIT: Wakefield Trinity 6-36 Wigan Warriors. Picture: Tony Johnson.
CUP EXIT: Wakefield Trinity 6-36 Wigan Warriors. Picture: Tony Johnson.

Wakefield, however, can take a lot from the way they played in the opening 40. Behind an outstanding kicking game from Mason Lino, they caused Wigan frequent problems with the ball and were unfortunate to register only one try.

They also showed impressive spirit, hitting back after Wigan had opened the scoring - on 13 minutes - before they’d had a play-the-ball in Trinity’s 20.

Trinity put them under huge pressure, but the visitors survived - successively - a 40-20, knock-on by John Bateman and line drop out, all forced by kicks from Lino; then another drop out from a Lee Gaskell kick and, finally, what might have been a try for Murphy, who took over from Johnstone on the left flank.

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He stretched over one-handed from a pass by Max Jowitt and referee James Child indicated a try, but he was overruled by video assistant Robert Hicks. It was an outstanding defensive contribution from Zak Hardaker, who shoved the rookie into touch just before he got the ball down.

CUP EXIT: Wakefield Trinity 6-36 Wigan Warriors. Picture: Tony Johnson.CUP EXIT: Wakefield Trinity 6-36 Wigan Warriors. Picture: Tony Johnson.
CUP EXIT: Wakefield Trinity 6-36 Wigan Warriors. Picture: Tony Johnson.

In the next set, Cade Cust slipped a pass to Liam Farrell and he burst into space before passing inside to the supporting Jai Field. Hardaker landed the first of his six conversions and then Murphy was in the thick of a 12-point turnaround as Trinity levelled at the end of the opening quarter. First, he hammered Iain Thornley into touch when the winger seemed certain to score; then in the resulting set, he reached over from Corey Hall’s pass in a repeat of the earlier near-miss, but this time the ball was down before he landed over the sideline.

Jowitt’s goal levelled the scores and Trinity twice went close to snatching the lead after Lino’s second 40-20 of the half, James Batchelor being held up over the line by John Bateman before Gaskell sliced through, but the touchdown was ruled out for an obstruction. Trinity could not have given much more, but with four minutes left on the clock Ethan Harvard scored from Leuluai’s offload.

It took Wigan just 50 seconds of the second half to extend their advantage to 18-6, Field scoring his second try from an offload by Patrick Mago.

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Wakefield had one clear chance to get back in the game when Jowitt ran across Wigan’s defence, but Murphy spilled his pass a few metres out.

CUP EXIT: Wakefield Trinity 6-36 Wigan Warriors. Picture: Tony Johnson.CUP EXIT: Wakefield Trinity 6-36 Wigan Warriors. Picture: Tony Johnson.
CUP EXIT: Wakefield Trinity 6-36 Wigan Warriors. Picture: Tony Johnson.

Wigan sealed it with 17 minutes left when Bevan French set up field position for Hardaker to go over; Farrell touched down after neither Liam Kay nor Jowitt had been able to deal with a kick from Cust and Field completed his hat-trick in the final minute.

Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt, Kay, Lyne, Hall, Murphy, Gaskell, Lino, Arona, Hood, Tanginoa, Pitts, Ashurst, Batchelor. Subs: Whitbread, Bowes, Battye, Crowther.

Wigan Warriors: Field, Thornley, Bibby, Hardaker, French, Cust, Leuluai, Singleton, Powell, Partington, Farrell, Bateman, Smithies. Subs: Mago, Byrne, Havard, Shorrocks.

Referee: James Child (Dewsbury).

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