Semi-final spot secured
Posted: Sat Sep 21, 2019 12:45 am
Match Report as Wigan Warriors beat Salford Red Devils 18-12 at the DW Stadium.
Adrian Lam’s side will now face St Helens at the Totally Wicked Stadium next week for a place in the Grand Final.
Tries from Gildart, Leuluai and Williams helped the Warriors on their way to the victory.
Wigan Warriors booked their place in the playoff semi-finals with a 18-12 victory over Salford Red Devils at the DW Stadium.
After going into the break level, Adrian Lam’s side fought hard in the second hard to edge themselves in front.
It was a far from an easy victory, with the visitors having good opportunities themselves, with two tries ruled out by the video ref.
The opening 20 minutes proved to be quite the arm wrestle between the two sides, with neither creating a clear-cut opportunity in the opening exchanges.
Wigan did have an early opportunity to take the lead, but Zak Hardaker failed to convert a penalty from 30 metres out in front of the sticks.
The breakthrough did eventually come in the 25th minute, as Oliver Gildart darted through the gap in the Red Devils’ defence to go over.
Hardaker was on hand to the extras, as he successfully converted from the left side to make it 6-0.
Chris Hankinson thought he had doubled Wigan’s lead, after superbly cutting inside, but the ref blew his whistle for an infringement in the build-up.
Salford came close to pulling one back, but the ball bounced agonisingly away from the fingertips of Ken Sio.
Ian Watson’s side continued to press and cause Wigan problems, as Joey Lussick had a try ruled out by the video ref after he was adjudged not to have grounded the ball.
The Red Devils did not feel downbeat for too long after that decision, as a minute later George Griffin forced his way over for a try.
With Krisnan Inu successfully adding the extras, the scores were level at the break.
11 minutes into the second half Salford thought that they had grabbed the lead, but the video refs replay showed that Sio’s foot was just in touch.
Five minutes later, it was Wigan taking the lead as Thomas Leuluai finished well to punish a Jake Bibby mistake, after the centre flicked the ball behind him.
Hardaker added the extras, to make it 12-6 after 55 minutes.
Moments later the Warriors had a third, as Joe Burgess broke free down the left side before passing the ball inside to George Williams who showed pace of his own to go over.
Just after the hour mark, Salford pulled a try back, as Jackson Hastings shrugged off the Wigan defence to go over to make it 18-12.
Tony Clubb came close to re-extending the lead but was halted by a strong challenge on the line.
The final five minutes of the game proved to be both a tough and physical test for the Warriors, as Salford heaped the pressure on the backline.
But for a series of last ditch tackles, the visitors would’ve been ahead.
Wigan Warriors: Zak Hardaker, Liam Marshall, Chris Hankinson, Oliver Gildart, Joe Burgess, George Williams, Tommy Leuluai, Tony Clubb, Sam Powell, Liam Byrne, Willie Isa, Liam Farrell, Morgan Smithies.
Interchanges: Ben Flower, Bevan French, Joe Greenwood, Sean O’Loughlin.
Tries: Gildart (25’), Leuluai (55’), Williams (57)
Conversions: Hardaker (3/3)
Penalties: Hardaker (0/1)
Salford Red Devils: Niall Evalds, Ken Sio, Kris Welham, Jake Bibby, Krisnan Inu, Tui Lolohea, Jackson Hastings, Lee Mossop, Logan Tomkins, Gil Dudson, Josh Jones, George Griffin, Tyrone McCarthy.
Interchanges: Joey Lussick, Adam Walker, Mark Flanagan, Ryan Lannon.
Tries: Griffin (37’), Hastings (61’)
Conversions: Inu (2/2)
Referee: R. Hicks. Touch Judges: M. Griffiths, R. Thompson. Video Ref: J. Child
Attendance: 9,247
https://www.wiganwarriors.com/news/2019 ... uv786L0.99
Adrian Lam’s side will now face St Helens at the Totally Wicked Stadium next week for a place in the Grand Final.
Tries from Gildart, Leuluai and Williams helped the Warriors on their way to the victory.
Wigan Warriors booked their place in the playoff semi-finals with a 18-12 victory over Salford Red Devils at the DW Stadium.
After going into the break level, Adrian Lam’s side fought hard in the second hard to edge themselves in front.
It was a far from an easy victory, with the visitors having good opportunities themselves, with two tries ruled out by the video ref.
The opening 20 minutes proved to be quite the arm wrestle between the two sides, with neither creating a clear-cut opportunity in the opening exchanges.
Wigan did have an early opportunity to take the lead, but Zak Hardaker failed to convert a penalty from 30 metres out in front of the sticks.
The breakthrough did eventually come in the 25th minute, as Oliver Gildart darted through the gap in the Red Devils’ defence to go over.
Hardaker was on hand to the extras, as he successfully converted from the left side to make it 6-0.
Chris Hankinson thought he had doubled Wigan’s lead, after superbly cutting inside, but the ref blew his whistle for an infringement in the build-up.
Salford came close to pulling one back, but the ball bounced agonisingly away from the fingertips of Ken Sio.
Ian Watson’s side continued to press and cause Wigan problems, as Joey Lussick had a try ruled out by the video ref after he was adjudged not to have grounded the ball.
The Red Devils did not feel downbeat for too long after that decision, as a minute later George Griffin forced his way over for a try.
With Krisnan Inu successfully adding the extras, the scores were level at the break.
11 minutes into the second half Salford thought that they had grabbed the lead, but the video refs replay showed that Sio’s foot was just in touch.
Five minutes later, it was Wigan taking the lead as Thomas Leuluai finished well to punish a Jake Bibby mistake, after the centre flicked the ball behind him.
Hardaker added the extras, to make it 12-6 after 55 minutes.
Moments later the Warriors had a third, as Joe Burgess broke free down the left side before passing the ball inside to George Williams who showed pace of his own to go over.
Just after the hour mark, Salford pulled a try back, as Jackson Hastings shrugged off the Wigan defence to go over to make it 18-12.
Tony Clubb came close to re-extending the lead but was halted by a strong challenge on the line.
The final five minutes of the game proved to be both a tough and physical test for the Warriors, as Salford heaped the pressure on the backline.
But for a series of last ditch tackles, the visitors would’ve been ahead.
Wigan Warriors: Zak Hardaker, Liam Marshall, Chris Hankinson, Oliver Gildart, Joe Burgess, George Williams, Tommy Leuluai, Tony Clubb, Sam Powell, Liam Byrne, Willie Isa, Liam Farrell, Morgan Smithies.
Interchanges: Ben Flower, Bevan French, Joe Greenwood, Sean O’Loughlin.
Tries: Gildart (25’), Leuluai (55’), Williams (57)
Conversions: Hardaker (3/3)
Penalties: Hardaker (0/1)
Salford Red Devils: Niall Evalds, Ken Sio, Kris Welham, Jake Bibby, Krisnan Inu, Tui Lolohea, Jackson Hastings, Lee Mossop, Logan Tomkins, Gil Dudson, Josh Jones, George Griffin, Tyrone McCarthy.
Interchanges: Joey Lussick, Adam Walker, Mark Flanagan, Ryan Lannon.
Tries: Griffin (37’), Hastings (61’)
Conversions: Inu (2/2)
Referee: R. Hicks. Touch Judges: M. Griffiths, R. Thompson. Video Ref: J. Child
Attendance: 9,247
https://www.wiganwarriors.com/news/2019 ... uv786L0.99