Wakefield Trinity count cost of first half errors in battling defeat to table topping Wigan Warriors

There was a definite improvement in Trinity’s performance, but again they struggled to get over the line with just a solitary try to show for their efforts and they remain four points adrift at the bottom of the Betfred Super League table.

“I thought we coughed up too many errors in the first half,” said Wakefield boss Applegarth.

"It felt like we defended our line constantly and against a team of Wigan’s quality you can’t afford to be doing that. I thought that was the difference.

“We put a few things in to fix it up at half-time and I’ve said in there that I can’t fault the lads in terms of their desire to work hard for another, but those individual errors are hurting us pretty bad. When you play a team competing for honours and gift them easy field position, they will hurt you.

“You can see they are fighting hard for one another, we’ve just got to stick at it and have that belief we can turn things around.

“I thought overall, despite our defence conceding 22 points, I thought they worked really hard for one another.

“Look at the play count in that first half and the little ball we had compared to Wigan, we had one ball on their 20. Wigan are a top team and have top quality players so it wasn’t through lack of effort on our part.”

Trinity came under pressure from the early stages with Abbas Miski tackled just short after collecting Harry Smith’s high kick and Liam Marshall’s grubber kick almost resulting in a try.

The pressure told as Marshall squeezed over in the corner for a try converted by Harry Smith.

Wakefield looked to hit back when Liam Kay found an initial gap only for his progress to be halted by home full-back Bevan French.

Wigan struck again with a smart finish by winger Miski and Smith added a touchline conversion.

They were then gifted a third try as Lee Kershaw’s loose pass was collected by Ethan Harvard, who had an easy task of touching down. Once again Smith converted and it was 18-0 at half-time.

Wakefield made a better start to the second half with full-back Kay coming up just short as he tried to dive in following good work by Sam Eseh and Jay Pitts.

They then looked to take their chance to hit back when the home team were reduced to 12 men for 10 minutes after Willie Isa was shown a yellow card for a dangerous tackle.

And they did just that as Pitts showed good strength to force his way over from close range then Mason Lino added the extras with a kick in off the posts.

But hopes of a comeback victory were dashed when French dived over for another Warriors try 12 minutes remaining, weaving his way over after backing up Miski’s break.

Trinity did not give up and Sam Hewitt was only kept out by strong defence, but Wigan held on to go top of the table.

Trinity: Kay; Kershaw, Lyne, Langi, Taufua; Milnes, Lino; Proctor, Bowes, Whitbread, Ashurst, Hewitt, Pitts. Subs: Eseh, Battye, Bowden, Atoni.