Wigan Warriors edge Huddersfield 26-19 in Super League thriller
By PA Sport
Last Updated: 22/04/16 10:55am
Wigan snatched a 26-19 victory to go top of the Super League despite a Ryan Brierley hat-trick for Huddersfield.
Brierley, who scored 37 tries in 33 appearances as a half-back for Leigh in 2015, made his mark at full-back in his sixth appearance for the Giants as he completed a hat-trick on the hour to put his side into an 18-12 lead.
However, in a frantic finish both sides drew level before Wigan full-back Dan Sarginson produced the match-winning try in the last minute of a dramatic match to enable the Warriors to complete the double over Huddersfield.
Wigan, who took full advantage of two sin-bins for the visitors, were superbly led by second rower John Bateman in the absence of Sean O'Loughlin and five other England players. They were boosted significantly by the return of Anthony Gelling, labelled "the best centre in Super League bar none" by his coach.
Gelling quickly made his mark, splitting the Huddersfield defence with an offload to winger Josh Charnley and was on hand to dribble over and touch down for the game's first try. Matty Smith added the conversion.
Huddersfield took some time to settle and were not helped by handling errors from Danny Brough and Craig Huby but both players were quick to make amends as they fought their way into the game.
Brierley finished off a break by England centre Leroy Cudjoe to draw his side level on 13 minutes and struck again seven minutes before half-time, touching down Brough's clever kick, off the inside of his boot, to put the Giants in front.
Brough added his second conversion to make it 12-6 and saw his drop-goal attempt on the stroke of half-time rebound off the crossbar to the arms of a grateful defender.
Huddersfield lost centre Jake Connor, who had been denied a try by a terrific tackle from Charnley, with a lower-leg injury two minutes before the break, but Joe Wardle slotted effortlessly into his position and they continued to look dangerous on attack.
A Brough 40-20 early in the second half gave the Yorkshiremen the perfect position to increase their lead but prop Nathan Mason was prevented by Bateman from grounding the ball and another Brough drop-goal attempt was charged down by Tony Clubb.
Wigan went close on 50 minutes when stand-off Nick Gregson lost control as he stretched out of Kruise Leeming's tackle. But it was not long before they were level.
Huddersfield were reduced to 12 men when Mason was showed a yellow card by referee Joe Cobb following a team warning. He was still on his way to the sin bin when Bateman went over from dummy half.
Smith kicked his second goal but the Giants were still a man short when they regained the lead through Brierley's third try, which stemmed from a break by skipper Ryan Hinchcliffe, and Brough kicked his third goal.
It was level once more on 66 minutes when Smith charged onto Gelling's pass and converted his own try, while Smith and Brough traded drop goals to leave the match finely poised.
A controversial scrum feed provided the position for Smith to edge his side back in front with a second drop goal and Sarginson clinched the win just before the end when he supported a break by Charnley to score Wigan's fourth try.
