Tries from Harry Smith, who kicked two conversions and a penalty, and Toby King saw Wigan Warriors win in front of 24,000 fans at the DW Stadium; Jonny Lomax hit back with a converted score for the reigning champions; Wigan now move up to second in the Betfred Super League
Friday 7 April 2023 22:37, UK
Wigan Warriors claimed their first Good Friday derby triumph over St Helens for six years and moved up to second in the Betfred Super League with a 14-6 triumph.
Half-back Harry Smith scored all of the points as the Warriors led 8-0 at half time, finishing after combining with Jake Wardle for the opening try followed by adding the conversion and kicking a penalty as well.
Toby King's converted try 12 minutes after the restart stretched the lead further, but St Helens hit back following a spell of pressure through a try from Jonny Lomax and conversion from Mark Percival which set up an enthralling finish.
Morgan Knowles then had a try ruled out by the video referee as replays showed he had knocked on in a tackle from Joe Shorrocks as the hosts went on to secure the win in front of 24,000 fans, but of more concern to Saints will be the injury to Sione Mata'utia which led to him being stretchered off.
The absence of Jai Field, who pulled a hamstring in last week's win at Leigh Leopards, ensured that Bevan French would continue in the full-back role he had revelled in against rock-bottom Wakefield Trinity, and the elusive Australian proved a crucial factor as the hosts got off on the front foot.
It was Smith, though, who got the first points on the board, starting with a neat one-two with Jake Wardle that saw him dart through a gap in the Saints defence after 10 minutes, proceeding to convert his own try from under the posts.
Sterling home defence was restricting the visitors to half-chances, Jack Welsby finding touch with his kick on a full set from inside his own half, and Liam Farrell sweeping up the full-back's bobbling kick towards the try-line.
French was persistently tying the Saints defence in knots, almost kicking through a gap on the half-hour, and after Tommy Makinson came close in the corner, Smith extended Wigan's advantage with a penalty from under the posts.
A snap pass from Konrad Hurrell set up Saints' best chance of the first half, Makinson bearing down on the try-line before he was bundled out in the corner by the ever-ready French, with the help of Liam Marshall.
As Wigan showed signs of cracking, Lomax jinked through a gap but tossed his pass straight at Farrell, sparking another squirming run from French who reached the halfway line to ease the increasing pressure.
The hosts reasserted control after the break, doubling their lead on 52 minutes after Toby King skipped past the curiously lackadaisical Welsby to touch down, before a spell of Saints pressure sparked by Brad Singleton's high tackle on Hurrell finally paid dividends on the hour mark.
Piling on the pressure after French had been trapped behind his line to force the drop-out, Dodd's neat kick was chased down by Lomax, who flopped on the loose ball before Mark Percival further reduced the arrears.
French's careless knock-on inside his own 20 hardly helped stall the momentum shift, and it took Shorrocks' brilliant interception to prevent Saints from getting another when Mata'utia was adjudged to have dropped the ball in the act of grounding.
Saints proved their own worst enemies as they chased salvation, with back row Knowles summing up the world champions' testing afternoon by lofting a late pass straight into the arms of Shorrocks.
Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet
"It feels good - we needed it. We need more big days like this and big games like this, and our fans deserve to see us win more often, so we need to make it a more regular occurrence.
"I thought our game management at times was quite poor, but I said endeavour, effort, camaraderie - I think we're a very connected group, we care a lot...and we're always going to be difficult to beat when we play like that."
St Helens head coach Paul Wellens
"We're disappointed, obviously. First off, what a spectacle for rugby league and for Super League, and to come here with a game of that intensity was first-class.
"On the result side, we're disappointed. I feel like we left a few points out there...and I think if we're honest Wigan won more of the moments than we did. That was ultimately the difference between victory and defeat."
Player of the match Toby King
"It's one of the best atmospheres I've been involved in. We were tough through the middle.
"Everybody gave their all. It was always going to be a massive game...and I think we did very well."
Wigan face another of their fierce rivals when travel to Warrington Wolves on Friday, April 14 in a match which is live on Sky Sports (8pm). St Helens make the trip to Hull Kingston Rovers on the same night (8pm).
