Betfred Super League
Wigan (28) 36
Tries: Marshall, Wardle, Keighran, Nsemba, Ellis, Eckersley, Leeming Goals: Keighran 4
Leigh (12) 28
Tries: Niu, Ofahengaue, O’Neill 2, Trout Goals: O’Brien 2, McNamara 2
Wigan Warriors moved above Hull KR to the top of the Super League table with a pulsating 36-28 victory over Leigh Leopards at the Brick Community Stadium.
When these two met in the opening round of fixtures in February, all manner of records were broken in a 1-0 golden-point win for Leigh, the lowest-scoring Super League game.
Here they served up the polar opposite with a 12-try thriller on a night when the scoreboard rarely stopped turning over.
Victory moved Matty Peet’s side to the top of the table on points difference over Hull KR, who have a chance to reclaim top spot against Huddersfield Giants on Saturday.
If Wigan and Leigh’s single-point season opener had been entertaining in its own way, this was rugby league for the neutral with some scintillating attacking play.
Wigan were the first to fire as they raced into a 12-0 lead with converted tries from Liam Marshall and Jake Wardle inside nine minutes.
Yet Leigh gained a foothold in the contest when Owen Trout forced Jai Field into a fumble under a high ball on 19 minutes, and Tesi Niu bulldozed over close to the posts.
Bevan French was as ever at the heart of most of Wigan’s play-making and it was the brilliant Australian whose pass put in Adam Keighran for Wigan’s third try.
Junior Nsemba made it four after a high ball bounced fortunately for Sam Walters to gather and assist. And Kaide Ellis made it five when quick thinking allowed him to ground the ball when he was being held up on the line.
It looked like curtains for Leigh at that stage, but Adrian Lam’s outfit are nothing but resilient and, despite their 21-14 Challenge Cup semi-final defeat by Warrington Wolves undoubtedly taking plenty out of their legs, they fought back bravely from that point.
Joe Ofahengaue grabbed a try back just before the break as they trailed 28-12 at the halfway point.
And they came out firing after the break with 12 unanswered points in as many minutes as Ethan O’Neill sneaked in twice from close range.
With the score closer than it had been at any point at 32-22, Wigan’s nerves might have started to fray but Kruise Leeming soothed them by finishing off a long-range effort as the lead stretched again to 36-22.
There was a lengthy delay after Zak Eckersley suffered a neck injury after a tackle which involved Alec Tuitavake. The Wigan player left the field on a stretcher and was taken to hospital, while the Leigh man will find out his fate on Monday when the challenge is reviewed.
The delay took some of the sting from the game, and although Trout barrelled over for a converted late try to get Leigh within eight points of the home team, the hooter beat any further comeback.
Wigan: Field; Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall; French, Smith; Byrne, O’Neill, Walters, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis.
Interchanges: Thompson, Mago, Leeming, Dupree.
Leigh: Hodgson, McIntosh, Niu, Hanley, Charnley, O’Brien, Lam, Ofahengaue, Ipape, Mulhern, O’Neill, Trout, Liu.
Interchanges: Hughes, Davis, Tuitavake, McNamara.
Referee: Chris Kendall.
