Brian Noble failed to hide his disappointment as his side suffered a shock 26-24 defeat against Catalans Dragons.
Warriors boss distraught after last-gasp defeat
Wigan coach Brian Noble failed to hide his disappointment as Dane Carlaw's last-gasp try condemned his side to a shock 26-24 defeat at the hands of the Catalans Dragons at the JJB Stadium.
Noble criticised his side's inability to finish off the French outfit after watching the Warriors miss the chance to join Leeds at the top of the Super League.
The Warriors looked on course for a comfortable victory as they led 24-16 with just five minutes remaining.
However, former Wigan prop Jerome Guisset gave the French side hope by crashing over by the posts, before Carlaw's controversial late score stole the points.
The home side will feel aggrieved as Clint Greenshields appeared to have knocked-on immediately after Guisset's score which would have given Wigan possession deep in Dragons' territory.
To make the blow even harder to take, winger Mark Calderwood appeared to be impeded as he leapt to catch Thomas Bosc's kick in the lead up to Carlaw's winning score.
Momentum
Noble admitted he will closely scrutinise the two decisions made by referee Ashley Klein, although he felt his men could have put the game to bed well before the late drama unfolded.
"I thought in the second half we'd done enough to get away but we just didn't put a nail in the coffin," Noble said.
"A couple of things changed the momentum, and they found a reason to get down to our end of the field.
"It was a bit of a sickening blow to lose it in the last minute like we did.
"We gave away a play-five penalty and then the referee made a couple of calls - and, whether right or wrong, we'll have a look at them.
"But they found a reason to win - and we managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
"We didn't quite finish them off and, with a team like that, they'll keep playing.
"But it's a huge lesson to some of our younger blokes out there - we certainly didn't finish the game as well as we should have."
Dragons delight
Dragons coach Mick Potter was understandably delighted after watching his side extend their unbeaten run to six matches.
The Australian paid tribute to the fitness and belief of his players after coming from two scores behind with such little time remaining.
"I thought they were on top in the second half and the game had just slipped away from us," Potter admitted.
"We had no energy there, but somehow we found it, and we came up with a good play at the death.
"It was great to get the two points, but they gave everyone a heart attack.
"They found some energy. We looked down and out in the second half, and the body language of the players suggested they had nothing left.
"To find something late in the second half was fantastic and a credit to the players.
"The are starting to believe in themselves and they are finding the energy when perhaps a year or two ago they couldn't find that energy."
