Round 11:
Noble inspires Wigan win over Giants

Brian Noble?s first outing as Wigan coach could scarcely have gone better as the rock-bottom Warriors hammered Huddersfield 46-14 at the Galpharm Stadium.

The Warriors turned to Noble to turn the club?s fortunes around after a quite dismal start to the engage Super League campaign.

First-half tries from Pat Richards (2), Danny Orr, Chris Ashton and Brett Dallas ensured the Giants were out of the game before the break.

The Giants had opened the scoring through James Evans but, just as they did in their loss at the JJB Stadium earlier in the year - Wigan?s only other league win - they were simply outgunned by a determined Wigan side who came up with the kind of performance that makes a mockery of their position at the foot of the table.

The Warriors were led by immense displays from the likes of Iafeta Paleaaesina, Bryan Fletcher and Sean O?Loughlin.

But Orr, Dennis Moran and Pat Richards, who have largely struggled for form so far this term, were also instrumental in their success.

The Giants had taken advantage of a knock-on by Warriors prop Paleaaesina in the first set of the game and a fumble from Moran that restarted the tackle count in the danger zone.

Quick hands right saw Evans walk through non-existent defence from Kevin Brown and Dallas to notch the game?s opening score, although Chris Thorman was unable to convert.

The visitors, however, were on the whole showing signs of vast improvement in both attack and defence, and they hit back with two tries in the space of five minutes through Orr and Richards.

Orr, who has struggled to find form so far this campaign, took a neat ball from Moran to level the scores, before Richards showed great strength to take Matt Gardner over the line in the right-hand corner.

Richards converted the former and the Warriors, looking completely unrecognisable from the side that had lost all but one of their league games so far, led 10-4.

Thorman gave another illustration of Wigan?s apparent rebirth by electing to kick for goal from a penalty award 35 yards out with the Giants pushing forward, only to pull his kick wide to leave the gap at six points.

Wigan moved further in front when youngster Darrell Goulding was held up by some resolute defence, the ball was switched left for fellow local product Ashton to stretch over.

Richards again found the mark and the Warriors had opened up a 16-4 lead that in no way flattered them.

Huddersfield hit back as the half hour approached, with Martin Aspinwall - a close-season recruit from the JJB Stadium - getting on the end of a nice move through the three-quarters to touch down in the corner.

Thorman?s fine goal from way out right reduced the gap to six, but a dreadful mistake from the kick-off handed Wigan the initiative right back.

A horrible misunderstanding handed Wigan possession two yards short, and Moran?s inch-perfect kick on the last tackle was plucked out of the air for Richards to grab his second try.

The Giants rallied briefly but Wigan tightened their grip on the game with another try on the half-time hooter.

Moran picked up a loose ball and fed Richards, who was stopped and eventually held down by Stuart Donlan at the expense of a penalty and a sin-binning.

Moments later a long cut-out ball from Fletcher found Dallas in space to score a walk-in try that Danny Tickle converted for a 26-10 half-time lead.

Wigan almost extended their advantage within two minutes of the restart when only unbelievable defence from Stephen Wild denied his old team-mate Brown.

The respite was only temporary, however, as Tickle took Moran?s pass to glide through the cover and score a four-pointer that would have been turned into six had he not hit the post from an easy angle.

It mattered not, though, as O?Loughlin took Wayne Godwin?s short ball to notch his side?s seventh try, although the home side were less than impressed with referee Karl Kirkpatrick?s neat dummy run that appeared to take out at least one covering defender.

And the Warriors hit the 40-point mark when Brown?s superb in-and-out put Dallas over for his second.

The Warriors were denied further points when Fletcher and Paleaaesina were held up over the line, but Mickey Higham was not to be denied eight minutes from time, with Tickle again converting.

A late score by Thorman, who never stopped plugging away for the Giants, was barely consolation for a well-beaten home side.

Huddersfield: Donlan, Aspinwall, Evans, De Vere, Gardner, Thorman, Paul, Jackson, Drew, Gannon, Nero, Crabtree, Wild. Replacements: Snitch, Jones, March, Raleigh.

Wigan: Ashton, Richards, Brown, Goulding, Dallas, Orr, Moran, Paleaaesina, Higham, Seu Seu, Fletcher, James, O'Loughlin. Replacements: Hargreaves, Godwin, Tickle, Wilkes.

Huddersfield (10) 14. Tries: Evans, Aspinwall, Thorman. Goals: Thorman.

Wigan (26) 46. Tries: Orr, Richards 2, Ashton, Dallas 2, Tickle, O'Loughlin, Higham. Goals: Richards 2, Tickle 3.

Referee: K Kirkpatrick (Warrington)

Att: 5,236