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Betfred Super League
Huddersfield (4) 10
Try: Milne, Gagai Aim: Flanagan
Wigan (10) 24
Try: Partington, Eckersley 3 Aim: Keighran 4
Zach Eckersley’s hat-trick broke the Huddersfield giants’ stubborn resistance to send Wigan Warriors within two points of the Super League summit.
Jim Lenihan’s side took the fact that they had lost 11 in a row going into the game and threatened to do a league double over the in-form Warriors after pulling off a shock win at the Brick Community Stadium in March.
A try to Tane Millen put the league’s bottom side ahead, but Oliver Partington and Eckersley hit back with tries to leave Matt Pitt’s side 10-4 up at the break.
The hosts leveled the game again in the second half through Jacob Gagai but broke down and Joe Greenwood was sin-binned for dissent, Adam Keighran’s penalty and a late Eckersley double ensured Wigan’s victory.
Huddersfield suffered another difficult week, losing three players for the season through injury and the resignation of long-serving chairman Ken Davey, and the sight of Wigan wandering into town on the back of seven straight wins in all competitions had some supporters fearing the worst.
Lenihan began to work a bit of magic, however, and after Huddersfield soaked up the expected early pressure, they struck first as Milne finished strongly.
Wigan were in great form and they soon went ahead as Partington stretched after Keighran’s short, sharp pass to avoid two tackles and finish.
Tanguy Zenon was forced off with a head injury after being knocked out cold and Eckersley took advantage of a superb Keighran pass to score his first try of the evening to open up a six-point lead at half-time.
Tempers flared throughout the game and referee Matty Lynn ran out of patience just before the interval as he sent both Tui Lolohea and Shea O’Connor to the sin-bin for play-the-ball altercations.
It looked as if the game would slip away from Huddersfield, but they muscled up again in the second half and equalized when Gagai finished a slick passing move and George Flanagan, as the 18th man, kicked the extra.
Suddenly Wigan looked unsure of themselves, but the game turned to moments of disorganization.
Huddersfield thought they had attempted a brilliant counter-attack after Wigan’s teenage half-back George Marsden dropped the ball, but referee Lynn ruled it out for a forward pass.
Wigan challenged the decision to rub salt in the wound and were awarded a penalty for a high challenge on Marsden, which Keighran converted for two points to restore the lead.
Huddersfield were still looking for a win but when they were penalized for a knock-on, Greenwood contested the decision and was sent to the sin-bin, despite using the captain’s challenge.
That ended a great Huddersfield effort as Wigan went up the other end and Harry Smith, the quietest man on the pitch, made a lovely kick for Eckersley to run and collect for his second try.
Ending all resistance, Eckersley claimed his hat-trick and made it 19 tries for the season from George O’Loughlin’s pass in the last tackle.
