Leeds Rhinos deservedly beat weary Wigan Warriors
Leeds Rhinos keep their play-off bid alive by seeing off an out-of-sorts Wigan, who fall to a third defeat in five games.
Betfred Super League
Leeds (8) 30
Tries: Newman, Miller, McDonnell, Martin Goals: Martin 7
Wigan (0) 4
Tries: Marshall
Leeds Rhinos kept their play-off bid alive by battering an out-of-sorts Wigan Warriors, who fell to a third Super League defeat in five games.
The home side showed the improvements they have made under interim head coach Brad Arthur to lead 8-0 at the break thanks to Harry Newman’s try and the boot of Rhyse Martin.
Wigan, playing for the second time this week after the win over Leigh on Tuesday, struggled for any fluency in attack or intent in defence and fell further behind when Lachlan Miller touched down in the corner to extend before James McDonnell went over to finish an end-to-end attack and put the result beyond doubt.
Liam Marshall got the visitors on the scoreboard but Wigan’s miserable day was compounded in the final minutes as Harry Smith was sent off for a deliberate elbow into the face of James Bentley in a tackle and Martin converted his own try with the last action of the game.
The Warriors would have gone back to the top of Super League with a victory at Headingley but must now look to pick themselves up before playing rivals St Helens next Saturday at Magic Weekend.
A second win in three saw Leeds cut the gap to sixth-placed Salford to four points.
Third game in 10 days proves match too far for Wigan
Wigan shaded possession in the opening 40 minutes but were unable to make the most of good field position on several occasions.
Newman touched down after the home side quickly built up an attack from their own half and Miller played him in.
The Australian half-back then got himself on the scoreboard with a fine finish after skilful play from Martin.
Adam Keighran was sin-binned for a high hit on the influential Martin and Leeds turned the screw while they were down to 12 men when the Warriors dropped the ball a yard out from the Rhinos line and McDonnell was there to barge in from close range.
Marshall did at least get the away side on the board with his 21st try of the Super League season.
However, Smith was then sent off for a petulant hit on Bentley to further deplete Wigan and Martin capped off a great day with a try after Paul Momirovski had tipped Miller’s kick back.
Leeds will hope to take this momentum into next week when they play Warrington Wolves down the road at Leeds United’s Elland Road home at Magic Weekend.
Leeds: Miller; Fusitua, Momirovski, Newman, Edgell; Croft, Frawley; Lisone, Ackers, Sangare, McDonnell, Martin, O’Connor.
Interchanges: Bentley, Goudemand, Nicholson-Watton, Littlewood.
Wigan: Field; Miski, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall; Hampshire, Smith; Havard, Leeming, Thompson, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis.
Interchanges: Byrne, Mago, Walters, Eckersley.
Referee: Liam Moore
