Super League: Wigan book home semi-final with 13-6 victory over Huddersfield
Last Updated: 21/09/18 6:10am
Wigan ground out a 13-6 win over Huddersfield to maintain the only 100 per cent record in the Super 8s and clinch a home semi-final.
The Warriors needed a try from Oliver Gildart three minutes from the end to finally end the resistance of the Giants and condemn them to a fourth successive defeat in an error-strewn match.
The game was played in persistent rain in the type of conditions Wigan might well experience if they reach the Grand Final at Old Trafford in October.
Giants coach Simon Woolford said his players resembled a tired team after they conceded five tries in the last 23 minutes of their game at Castleford a week earlier but there was little sign of fatigue from the Yorkshiremen.
They were led out by Ryan Hinchcliffe, who along with Jake Mamo was playing his final home game ahead of his return to Australia at the end of the season, and both caught the eye, along with young half-back Oliver Russell on his fifth Super League appearance.
Wigan had Sam Tomkins back in the halves following the late withdrawal of Thomas Leuluai with a groin strain, with France international Morgan Escare earning a rare start at full-back.
It was Escare who provided the highlight of a drab first half, keeping his feet on the slippery surface to cut inside for the only try, fending off the attempted tackle of Alex Mellor on his way to the line after 15 minutes.
It was just reward for Wigan's more enterprising start.
Winger Tom Davies was narrowly beaten to the ball by Jordan Rankin in an early attack and dangerous second rower Joe Greenwood was thrown back from the line.
Tomkins had opened the scoring with a penalty and, as the visitors continued to dominate possession and territory, Greenwood got to the line only to have the ball stolen and substitute Gabe Hamlin knocked on in the next set.
Having withstood all the pressure, Huddersfield enjoyed a purple patch in the second quarter and might have equalised on the stroke of half-time when substitute Matty English slide towards the line but was ruled to have lost his grip on the ball.
The home side began the second half as they finished the first, with Kruise Leeming and Colton Roche both making significant impact from the bench.
Full-back Lee Gaskell was inches away from gathering Danny Brough's clever kick off the inside of his boot and beaten by the fingertips of Tomkins as he chased his own grubber.
Wigan edged further in front with a drop goal from Escare and they thought they had clinched victory when Davies raced on to George Williams' kick to the line but video referee Ben Thaler ruled a knock-on and Huddersfield quickly struck back to set up a tense finale.
Hinchcliffe produced a half-break that was stopped by Greenwood but there was no stopping Leeming as he forced his way over from dummy half for a try that Brough converted.
Any hope Huddersfield had of finishing the job ended four minutes from the end when Brough was sin-binned for a high tackle on Escare and a minute later Gildart won the race to Williams' kick for the clinching try, to which Tomkins added his second goal.
