Wigan v Hull KR

[PaulC]

I think the Ref and linesman needed to open there eyes! Our boys discipline was good, on the other hand Hull spent 90% of the time off side!

Would be nice to see our boys going forward more in defense rather than letting them come to us!!

[josie andrews]

Wigan Get Back to Winning Ways

Result from the DW Stadium

Wigan Warriors 34

T - Thornley 3 ,Bowen, Farrell, Flower

G - Smith 5/7

Hull KR 20

T - Langley, Salter, Welham, Cockayne

G - Burns 2/4

Att -12,801

Match Report

Wigan grabbed their second win of the Super League season with a 34-20 victory over Hull KR at the DW Stadium on Friday night.

The home side ran in six tries with a hat-trick for Iain Thornley whilst Matty Bowen, Liam Farrell and Ben Flower were the other Wigan try scorers.

The Warriors led 8-0 before a hat-trick of Rovers tries in quick succession opened up an 8-16 lead for the visitors. A further try apiece made it 14-20 at the break but in the second half the Cherry and Whites kept Rovers scoreless and crossed for three further tries to complete the win.

Wigan were without the suspended Michael McIlorum and Skipper Sean O'Loughlin through injury, Logan Tomkins started at Hooker with Ben Flower continuing at Loose Forward. Rovers gave a debut to new loan signing Ade Gardner.

Wigan took the lead after just 4 minutes, the Warriors gaining advantage from a Rovers knock on with a scrum in the Hull KR 20 and a Green pass sent centre Iain Thornley in for the game's first try, the decision given by the video referee. The difficult conversion was missed by Matty Smith but the home side were off and running leading 4-0.

Moments later a Blake Green cross field kick to the left was almost taken by Joe Burgess, had he managed to keep hold the Rovers defence was stretched and the Winger almost certainly would have been away into space with a try scoring chance.

On 8 minutes, Wigan were in again this time a high kick from Travis Burns was taken by Matty Bowen inside his own 20 and the Full Back spotted a gap and raced the near full length of the field for his second try in Wigan colours, his first at the DW Stadium, to the delight of the home fans. Smith missed the conversion but Wigan were 8-0 up.

Rovers hit back with their first points with 13 minutes on the clock, Kris Keating with a short pass and Jamie Langley was through on his shoulder for the touchdown. Travis Burns struck the conversion, 8-6.

Rovers were soon in for their second try, Wigan penalised as Rovers looked to simply lose the ball in the tackle and from the next set of six Centre Liam Salter managed to push his way over for the try out wide, this time the extras were missed but the visitors from being 8-0 down were 8-10 in the lead.

On 25 minutes, Rovers were given a penalty inside the Wigan 20 to press the home defence once more, a Keating pass opened up the Warriors and Kris Welham eased his way through a gap for the Robins third try in a row. This time Burns struck the goal, 8-16.

After conceding a hat-trick of tries in 12 minutes, Wigan required a response and they got it, Iain Thornley charging over showing good footwork to cross for his second try of the game to the left of the posts, this time Matty Smith added the conversion, 14-16.

On 34 minutes a knock on by Jordan James at the play the ball allowed the Robins possession in a great position and Wigan were opened up on the left as Ben Cockayne found himself in space for Rovers fourth try of the half. Burns missed the goal, 14-20.

In the very last minute of the half, Wigan were denied a try by the video referee for obstruction, a Warriors player running behind the line of the ball when Josh Charnley thought he had scored and the visitors had a six point lead at the break.

Hull KR were inches away from extending their lead in the opening couple of minutes of the second half, only a forward pass denying them a try under the posts in their first attack.

But it was the Warriors with the first try, Green sending Burgess away and the Winger had Liam Farrell in support on his inside for the four points on 44 minutes, Smith with the conversion and the game was all square at 20 all.

Hull KR had a spell of pressure close to the Wigan line, this time the defence held firm. The Robins then provided Wigan with great field position penalised twice in a row and Ben Flower was on hand from a perfect Smith pass to grab the try on 65 minutes and Smith added the goal to edge the home side ahead 26-20.

Wigan extended their lead on 73 minutes through a Smith penalty to open up an eight point advantage, 28-20.

Iain Thornley completed his hat-trick with a couple of minutes remaining and Smith added a great conversion from the touchline to complete a 34-20 success.

So a win for Shaun Wane's men but it wasn't without a scare or two along the way in the first forty minutes but in the second half Wigan were in control of the game and kept Rovers at bay.

Team News

Wigan Warriors - Matty Bowen, Josh Charnley, Darrell Goulding, Iain Thornley, Joe Burgess, Blake Green, Matty Smith, Scott Taylor, Logan Tomkins, Dom Crosby, Liam Farrell, Jack Hughes, Ben Flower

Replacements - Eddy Pettybourne, John Bateman, George Williams, Jordan James

Hull KR - Greg Eden, Ben Cockayne, Kris Welham, Liam Salter, Ade Gardner, Travis Burns, Kris Keating, Justin Poore, Josh Hodgson, Michael Weyman, Kevin Larroyer, Neville Costigan, Jamie Langley

Replacements - Adam Walker, Graeme Horne, Jordon Cox, James Green

Referee R Silverwood

http://www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.a ... Z4PBYHD.99

[The booze hound]

Even though Thornley scored 3 tries and got man of the match I thought he played no better than acceptable. I don't think I've ever seen him draw his opposite centre and winger then flick a pass out to his wingman. He often seems to either ignore his winger when the pass is on or give it when it'd be better to take the tackle. I suppose that's just decision making and will improve with games under his belt. Flower had a good game and I thought Logan played well till he tired. Bowen has finally shown us a glimpse of his attacking prowess. Sloppy/lazy first half but overall there was enough positives to take out of it.

[DaveO]

Very good in the second half first half was poor and the ref should of listened to liam farrell because he is as blind as shit!

Liam Farrell got the sponsors man of the match (I presume Thornley got the Sky vote) and I reckon it was Faz that got us back into the game and on the front foot in the 2nd half. I think Faz deserved it.

He certainly wasn't happy with Silverwood and I could see why.

Everyone sat by me was incredulous when the kicker was taken out off the ball and no penalty was given because he had pointed at Smith as to to say he'd seen it.

As to offside, well he was clueless.

As to the rest of the team I thought Burgess played well and kept his head to pass inside to Faz for his try.

Thornley took his tries well but had a tendency to pass when he should not and not pass when he should.

Goulding will be lucky if he isn't dropped for that defensive effort. The Langley try was a shocker.

Really enjoyed Bowen's try.

As to Smith's kicking he needs to keep up the 2nd half level of consistency. You could virtually see the team have the wind taken out of its sails when he missed the sitter for the 2nd try.

[the winky one]

On another note there were a couple of hundred HKR fans on one side of the ground who sang and chanted the whole game...But the silence from the Wigan fans was eerie, apart from when tries were scored. There was absolutely no atmosphere. :conf:

[Wigan_forever1985]

On another note there were a couple of hundred HKR fans on one side of the ground who sang and chanted the whole game...But the silence from the Wigan fans was eerie, apart from when tries were scored. There was absolutely no atmosphere. :conf:

I've thought this on my visits to the dw the Wigan finds are deathly silent throughout bar the occasional droning "Wigan Wigan"

Could it be our success that's killed that atmosphere? I get the feelings sometimes fans turn up with a "ok show us how good you are" attitude. Flick back to the relegation season and the dw was booming every week

[DaveO]

On another note there were a couple of hundred HKR fans on one side of the ground who sang and chanted the whole game...But the silence from the Wigan fans was eerie, apart from when tries were scored. There was absolutely no atmosphere. :conf:

I've thought this on my visits to the dw the Wigan finds are deathly silent throughout bar the occasional droning "Wigan Wigan"

Could it be our success that's killed that atmosphere? I get the feelings sometimes fans turn up with a "ok show us how good you are" attitude. Flick back to the relegation season and the dw was booming every week

I have my theory what has killed the atmosphere. I have thought this for a while.

It is I don't think the fans can identify with half the Wigan players on the pitch. Many are too new for this.

I also think it reflects a disappointment they don't get a chance to cheer on their heroes who (last season) won the double because quite a few left but this is not new. Joel T went after the great CC try season. The Madge GF winning side didn't last that long either.

I really do think the fans have a bit of an identity crisis over the team.

Compare to how it was in the past when players like Shaun Edwards had long careers but so did plenty of others.

I really don't think the constant turnover of players helps fans identify with the team.

Who are our current legends? Well for me its Lockers and no one else. That has never been the case in past years.

[Kaii]

Well that singing section in the east stand is working out well, it all starts from the back of the south and all those great singers who migrated to the east where never that great in the first place.
Nothing to do with the players it's the same in football, terrace singing is a dying art

[Panchitta Marra]

Thought we were fortunate with that call for a forward pass at the start of the second half. Looked perfectly fine to me, and not sure we'd have come back from 12-points down.

Good to see Thornley score a hat-trick, Smith kick 5 in a row, and a much better performance in the second half (couldn't have been worse obviously).

I thought the pass was forward Yokozuna, and to be honest I was screaming mad at another forward pass that Silverwood and the touchy missed on the right wing a couple of moves before the one that was called back.

[l halliday]

On another note there were a couple of hundred HKR fans on one side of the ground who sang and chanted the whole game...But the silence from the Wigan fans was eerie, apart from when tries were scored. There was absolutely no atmosphere. :conf:

I've thought this on my visits to the dw the Wigan finds are deathly silent throughout bar the occasional droning "Wigan Wigan"

Could it be our success that's killed that atmosphere? I get the feelings sometimes fans turn up with a "ok show us how good you are" attitude. Flick back to the relegation season and the dw was booming every week

I have my theory what has killed the atmosphere. I have thought this for a while.

It is I don't think the fans can identify with half the Wigan players on the pitch. Many are too new for this.

I also think it reflects a disappointment they don't get a chance to cheer on their heroes who (last season) won the double because quite a few left but this is not new. Joel T went after the great CC try season. The Madge GF winning side didn't last that long either.

I really do think the fans have a bit of an identity crisis over the team.

Compare to how it was in the past when players like Shaun Edwards had long careers but so did plenty of others.

I really don't think the constant turnover of players helps fans identify with the team.

Who are our current legends? Well for me its Lockers and no one else. That has never been the case in past years.

I agree with DaveO and would also add that the league format doesn't help.

The idea that you don't have to win all your games and still win the g.f creating dead rubbers along the way puts me off attending such matches as yesterday. I pick and choose my games now and much prefer to travel to the away games like Leeds, Bradford even Wakefield etc.

Every game should be a life and death for the end objective to create a stress or thrill emotional roller coaster that drives excitement.