Wakefield Wildcats 54 Harlequins 12: Obst sparkles as Wakefield gain revenge on Harlequins

WAKEFIELD gained revenge for last month's surprise Challenge Cup defeat to Harlequins with a 10-try Engage Super League victory at Belle Vue.

Talk before the game among the Trinity ranks had been of troublesome times after a six-match losing streak – including the 23-16 defeat to Quins in the Challenge Cup.

After such a promising start to the season which saw them beat champions Leeds Rhinos after three successive wins, Wakefield's confidence had taken a battering, but they restored some pride yesterday.

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First-half tries from Luke George, Sean Gleeson and Sam Obst put the game beyond Harlequins who were just grateful to hear the final hooter at a sun-drenched Belle Vue.

Wakefield coach John Kear said the performance was the perfect answer to his side's critics.

Kear said: "We've copped a fair bit of stick from various quarters but the lads have pulled together today and played like a real team.

"Desperation can make you crumble or it can inspire you. I think it inspired us today and I'm really pleased with the squad. Morale has been lifted immensely.

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"They were doing things today that we know they can do but have perhaps been a little too nervy to do," said Kear.

"That element of confidence is marvellous and once it starts coursing through your veins you feel really good about yourself and your team-mates.

"I think that showed as the game progressed."

Wakefield, without the injured Ben Jeffries, Glenn Morrison and Daryl Millard who are all pushing for a return to action next week, were desperate for a win after five successive Super League defeats.

And they should have taken the lead after five minutes. Obst scampered away down the right, before bringing Gleeson in to play.

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But when the ball was tossed to Damien Blanch it was intercepted by the visiting defence and the chance was gone.

Obst is the attacking fulcrum for Wakefield, but the diminutive scrum-half rescued his side when he chased down his opposite number Jamie O'Callaghan as Harlequins broke away down the left wing.

All the pressure was coming from the hosts so it was no surprise when they took a 12th-minute lead.

Former Hull Kingston Rovers stand-off Paul Cooke hoisted a high kick to the corner and winger George leapt like a salmon to steal the ball and crash over for a try.

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Two minutes later and the Wildcats had doubled their score. Paul Johnson slipped in Gleeson who waltzed away to score between the posts.

Cooke converted both tries and was on target again for Obst's 26th-minute try.

The play started in the middle of the park when Johnson's cute back-handed pass from the tackle slipped in Gleeson, who juggled the ball before finding the supporting Obst. The scrum-half looked like he had been stopped just short of the line, but his momentum took him over as Wakefield cruised into an 18-0 lead.

Harlequins had offered little in attack and needed a quick response, Tony Clubb racing away for a long-distance try with Aaron Murphy guilty of a weak attempted tackle at full-back. Danny Orr converted.

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Harlequins were denied a quickfire start to the second half when centre David Howell was hauled back by referee Gareth Hewer for an earlier forward pass.

And they were made to pay for their carelessness as substitute Kevin Henderson powered over for a 44th-minute try, which Cooke converted to restore the 18-point advantage at 24-6.

Blanch's 70-metre breakaway try, converted by Cooke, crushed any thoughts of a Harlequins fightback, before Jason Demetriou added a sixth try for the hosts. The only surprise was Cooke spoiled his perfect kicking record by missing the subsequent conversion.

It was simply a case of how many tries Wakefield wanted now as Demetriou played in Gleeson with 15 minutes remaining, before Obst sold an outrageous dummy to burst through the visitors' defence to score.

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Cooke responded to two missed conversions by adding the extras to make it 44-6 for Wakefield, before George went over for his second try of the afternoon in front of the 4,371 sun-drenched crowd.

Cooke again missed the conversion, but was smiling at the finish with a 10th try for Wakefield, his conversion bringing the score to 54-6 and a personal points haul of 18.

Luke Dorn raced over for a try on the hooter, which Orr converted, but it was little consolation for the visitors.

Wakefield: Murphy, Blanch, Gleeson, Demetriou, George, Cooke, Obst, Moore, Leo-Latu, King, Johnson, Ferguson, Kirmond. Substitutes: Blaymire, Korkidas, Davey, Henderson.

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Harlequins: Dorn, Sharp, Clubb, Howell, Penny, Gale, O'Callaghan, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Orr, Temata, Williamson, Purdham, Melling. Substitutes: Wilkes, Mills, May, Esders.

Referee: G Hewer (Whitehaven).

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