WATCH - Wigan Warriors 46 Wakefield Trinity 16: Heavy defeat leaves Wakefield at risk of being dragged into relegation battle

Wakefield Trinity are at severe risk of being dragged into a fight for Super League survival following their feeble defeat at Wigan Warriors last night.
Action from Wigan Warriors v Wakefield Trinity. PIC: SWPix.com.Action from Wigan Warriors v Wakefield Trinity. PIC: SWPix.com.
Action from Wigan Warriors v Wakefield Trinity. PIC: SWPix.com.

Chris Chester's side rarely troubled in-form Wigan, who have now won six of their last seven league games.

Wakefield failed to match the Warriors' aggressive approach in the early stages and found themselves three tries down inside 15 minutes.

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The Warriors never looked like relinquishing their grip on the contest, as they scythed through Trinity at almost every opportunity.

Action from Wigan Warriors v Wakefield Trinity. PIC: SWPix.com.Action from Wigan Warriors v Wakefield Trinity. PIC: SWPix.com.
Action from Wigan Warriors v Wakefield Trinity. PIC: SWPix.com.

David Fifita made a surprise return from a foot injury while Chris Annakin and Max Jowitt also came back into the starting line-up.

However, the game was essentially ended by half-time with Wigan 34 points ahead thanks to two tries from Liam Farrell along with one each for Zak Hardaker, Willie Isa, Jake Shorrocks and Jarrod Sammut.

Wakefield restored some pride in the second half with Jacob Miller twice providing the kicks for Ryan Hampshire to collect and score.

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Both of those scores were met with responses from Wigan with Oliver Gildart taking Wigan to 40 points before Farrell completed his hat-trick.

Action from Wigan Warriors v Wakefield Trinity. PIC: SWPix.com.Action from Wigan Warriors v Wakefield Trinity. PIC: SWPix.com.
Action from Wigan Warriors v Wakefield Trinity. PIC: SWPix.com.

Jowitt added a late consolation for Wakefield, following some fantastic offloading from Fifita and Bill Tupou.

Wakefield might be keeping one eye on Sunday's Super League fixtures, with the four sides below them all in action.

Bottom-side London Broncos welcome St Helens to the capital on Sunday afternoon, where a win could put Danny Ward's side just two points behind Trinity.

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Huddersfield Giants face Hull KR while Leeds Rhinos host Hull FC.

Action from Wigan Warriors v Wakefield Trinity. PIC: SWPix.com.Action from Wigan Warriors v Wakefield Trinity. PIC: SWPix.com.
Action from Wigan Warriors v Wakefield Trinity. PIC: SWPix.com.

Meanwhile, Wakefield's wait for an away win goes on, with a 26-25 victory at Huddersfield on May 3 their last win away from Belle Vue.

That success had moved them into third spot, however, they could slide as low as 10th by the end of this weekend's games if results go against them.

Last night's defeat leaves Chester's side six points adrift of the top five and the games don't get any easier with a trip to league leaders St Helens next up on August 2.

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Wakefield have now won just once in 10 games, a run that has left their top-five hopes hanging by the slimmest of threads.

All three of Wigan's early scores came off the back of Trinity errors as two offsides and a kick that went out on the full gifted Wigan possession on the Wakefield line.

Farrell grabbed the opener, strolling over with ease from Sam Powell's short ball.

A penalty on the Trinity line then gave Wigan the base for another attack, which they took full advantage of.

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The ball was worked wide to former Leeds Rhinos man Hardaker and he twisted and turned out of the tackles to plant down.

The full-back then compounded Wakefield's woes with a superb conversion from the touchline.

The hosts kept coming and scored a third through Willie Isa after George Williams' pass opened up a gap.

Wakefield offered little resistance in defence and conceded another three tries before the interval.

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Farrell strolled over for a second time and Wakefield's decision to kick short from the subsequent restart proved costly.

The kick was palmed back to Jake Shorrocks who burst clear before stepping inside to dive over for back-to-back scores.

With the last action of the half, Sammut intercepted and sped 50 metres for a sixth home try.

Hampshire's try early in the second half restored some faint hope for Wakefield but that was quickly dimmed as Wigan scored a seventh through Gildart.

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The centre ran the length of the field, handing off a tackle from Jowitt on the half-way line to score at a canter.

Hampshire grabbed his second on the hour as he latched onto Miller's perfectly-measured kick to ground on the left.

Farrell completed his hat-trick before Tupou produced a magnificent offload for Max Jowitt to dive over in the corner, giving Trinity something to smile about on a largely-miserable night.

Wigan Warriors: Hardaker, Hankinson, Sarginson, Gildart, Marshall, Williams, Sammut, Navarrete, Powell, Partington, Isa, Farrell, Smithies. Subs: Shorrocks, Havard, Clubb, Byrne.

Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt, Hampshire, Tupou, Lyne, Jones-Bishop, Miller, Brough, Tanginoa, Randell, England, Batchelor, Arundel, King. Subs: Fifita, Wood, Annakin, Pauli.

Referee: Robert Hicks.