Wakefield Wildcats destroy under-strength Wigan Warriors
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 10/04/16 8:16pm
Jacob Miller scored a hat-trick of tries as in-form Wakefield destroyed Wigan 62-0 at Belle Vue to extend their winning run under new coach Chris Chester to four matches.
The Wildcats ran in 11 tries to record their biggest ever Super League win over the Warriors, surpassing a 40-14 success in 2006, while Wigan's defeat was their worst in the league since a 70-0 rout by Leeds in 2005.
Just 12 months on from the humiliation of an 80-0 defeat by Warrington, the Wildcats' fortunes could hardly be more contrasting as they left the field to a standing ovation from their jubilant fans.
Wakefield were simply irresistible as they showed no mercy to a Wigan side lacking 10 front-line players through injury and suspension.
Wigan handed debuts to Jack Wells and Joe Bretherton and had two other youngsters, Jack Higginson and Nick Gregson, making only their second full Super League appearances, and the inexperience showed.
The danger signs were there for the visitors in the opening stages when loose forward Michael Sio had a try disallowed and the visitors' defence opened up obligingly for prop Nick Scruton to charge onto Scott Moore's pass for Wakefield's first try on 10 minutes.
The Wildcats were also denied a try when referee Gareth Hewer ruled that promising full-back Max Jowitt had lost the ball in Joel Tomkins' tackle over the line following Tom Johnstone's break but it only delayed the inevitable.
Miller went over for his first try on 23 minutes, profiting from a neat offload by the impressive Anthony Tupou, and Johnstone collected Miller's high kick to go over four minutes later.
Johnstone then gathered Moore's kick deep inside the Wakefield half and combined with his centre Joe Arundel to get Miller over for his second try.
Trailing 22-0 at the break, any prospect of a Wigan fightback disappeared seven minutes into the second half when veteran scrum-half Liam Finn made light of some weak defence to go over for a solo try.
The Warriors' unhappy afternoon was summed on 51 minutes when England half-back Matty Smith fumbled the ball on halfway to enable Arundel to scoot away and get Miller over for his third try.
Wakefield's purple patch under their new coach has also coincided with the return of skipper Danny Kirmond and he came into his own with a brace of tries midway through the second half to pile on the agony for the visitors.
Miller went desperately close to grabbing a fourth try following a superb break from exciting full-back Jowitt, - Josh Charnley held up him over the line - but the Wildcats continued to enjoy the momentum.
Winger Ben Jones-Bishop scored one try and made another for Jowitt before Scruton, who had started the points feast, finished it with his second try seven minutes from the end and Finn took his goal tally to nine from 11 attempts.
