Wigan grab late winner to down Giants

Wigan Warriors scored a late winner to beat Huddersfield Giants 18-13 at the John Smith's Stadium in their first away game of 2016.

In a see-saw game, Huddersfield led 6-0 at the break through Jermaine McGillvary's try. Wigan hit back in the second half and tries from Liam Farrell and Dom Manfredi saw Wigan lead 12-6 after an hour. The Giants kept fighting and debutant Jamie Foster crossed for a try, Jamie Ellis missed the conversion but scored a penalty goal just moments later before his drop-goal nudged his team in front with 10 to go. Wigan held their nerve though and skipper Sean O'Loughlin came up with an outrageous pass to put Josh Charnley over three minutes from the end.

Greg Burke came into the Wigan side in place of the injured George Williams, with Sam Powell starting in the stand-off position. Burke, who had an impressive season on-loan at Hull KR in 2015, was on the bench to start with. Captain Sean O'Loughlin started at prop again with utility-man John Bateman playing the role of loose forward.

Wigan got the game underway and their defence looked solid in the opening phases as the Giants failed to gain ten-metres in their first set.

Wigan came close to scoring in the seventh minute through centre Dan Sarginson after a basketball pass from winger Josh Charnley but Huddersfield's defence just managed to push Sarginson into touch just yards away from the touchline.

Huddersfield then drew first blood when they were applying pressure on the Wigan try-line in the 25th minute as Giants half-back Jamie Ellis put in a wonder pass out wide to Jermaine McGillvary, with the winger diving in at the corner. Ellis successfully converted the try from the touchlines to make the score 6-0 to the Giants.

Wigan had a couple of opportunities late on in the first-half as they kept having an overlap on the left edge but failed to capitalise due to good defence from the Claret and Golds.

HALF TIME: Huddersfield Giants 6-0 Wigan Warriors

The second-half started off with a bang for the Warriors as Sarginson patted down a well weighted Smith bomb to Liam Farrell, with the back-rower scooping up the ball to dive over the line and get Wigan on the board. Smith added the two, 6-6 after 45 minutes.

Wigan looked to be controlling the game and winning the battle up the middle but it was the Giants who would have the next real chance. Jake Connor looked to have scored from a kick through but the try was ruled out by the video refere who judged a knock-on.

Wigan then took the lead for the first time in the game on the hour-mark as centre Anthony Gelling threw a sublime pass over the top of Giants winger Jamie Foster to Dom Manfredi, with the winger calmly finishing in the right corner in front of the travelling Warriors fans. Smith added the two points from out wide to give Wigan a six point cushion at 12-6.

Huddersfield were not done though and came roaring back as Jake Connor's cut-out pass found Jamie Foster who went over in the corner for a debut try.

Ellis missed with the conversion but just minutes later the half-back made it all-square from a penalty following an offside infringement from Wigan.

The momentum had well and truly swung Huddersfield's way, Jamie Ellis' attempt at a drop-goal was charged-down by Tony Clubb only for to give them another set of six. Ellis would have another chance and made no mistake, 13-12 with just ten minutes to go.

Wigan wrestled the momentum back though and fought hard for field position and were helped up field by a penalty. The Warriors peppered the Giants line before Sean O'Loughlin's bullet pass found Josh Charnley who stepped off his left foot to go over for a superb and timely Wigan try. Smith again on target with the two.

Huddersfield looked to restart with a short kick but it didn't make the required ten and Wigan had the game in the bag.

FULL TIME: Huddersfield Giants 13-18 Wigan Warriors

Match Details

Huddersfield Giants - 13

Tries: McGillvary, Foster

Goals: Ellis 2/3

Drop Goals: Ellis 1

Wigan Warriors - 18

Tries: Farrell, Manfredi, Charnley

Goals: Smith 3/3

HT: 6-0

Attendance: 5,912

Huddersfield Giants: 5. Aaron Murphy, 2. Jermaine McGillvary, 3. Leroy Cudjoe, 31. Sam Wood, 29. Jamie Foster, 18. Jake Connor, 7. Jamie Ellis, 16. Sam Rapira, 9. Ryan Hinchcliffe, 19. Josh Johnson, 17. Ukuma Ta'ai, 12. Michael Lawrence, 13. Larne Patrick.

Interchange 14. Daniel Smith, 20. Kruise Leeming, 21. Nathan Mason, 22. Oliver Roberts.

Wigan Warriors: 22. Lewis Tierney, 2. Josh Charnley, 3. Anthony Gelling, 4. Dan Sarginson, 5. Dom Manfredi, 16. Sam Powell, 7. Matty Smith, 10. Ben Flower, 9. Michael McIlorum, 13. Sean O'Loughlin, 25. Willie Isa, 12. Liam Farrell, 14. John Bateman.

Interchange: 15. Tony Clubb, 19. Taulima Tautai, 21. Ryan Sutton, 26. Greg Burke.

Referee: Phil Bentham