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Wigan Warriors v Bradford Bulls. Engage Super League XIII Rd 4. Saturday 1st March 2008. Kick Off 6:00pm at JJB Stadium.

Thoughts on the Match

The poor weather and heavy pitch made it a slow sluggish bitty match but plenty of positives from a Wigan perspective. I thought our pack was excellent tonight with good rotation between Feka, Coley and the returning Fielden. Just a shame Paul Prescott limped off and is going to be out for a few weeks at least. The forwards had the likes of Sam Burgess in their back pockets. We also had a good night out wide. Richards and Carmont again continue to impress as a wing - centre partnership. Whilst Colbon and Goulding are doing a decent job on the other side - I can't wait for Karl Pryce and Mark Calderwood to team up though - hope it happens soon! Not sure where Barrett is at the moment. Very quiet so far. But then again he was at the beginning of last year. He perhaps needs a dry pitch. Good kick for Richards try though - every time that is attempted Pat comes up with the goods - why not try it more often? All in all a good win. We are not playing anywhere near the standards of the back end of last season but to be fair that's not a bad thing when we are winning matches.

Story of the Match

Wigan Warriors made it three wins from their four opening games of the season with a 28-14 victory over the Bradford Bulls at the JJB Stadium on a damp Saturday evening.  The Warriors have continued where they left off 2007 with impressive form at home, their last loss at the JJB, ten games ago in the middle of last year against Hull KR, who incidentally are the next visitors to Wigan over Easter.  The home side turned around an 0-8 deficit to win the game by fourteen points. Five Wigan tries in total through Carmont, Goulding, Richards, Tomkins and Hansen while Richards hit three conversions and a penalty.  Wigan were without the suspended Phil Bailey so Gareth Hock moved up off the bench to start. On the bench was prop Stuart Fielden fit again, after a bicep injury, his first run out of 2008.  It was Wigan who were forced into some early defending as the Bulls pressed for the first score. It came with six minutes on the clock, a penalty for offside, Deacon with a simple kick to make it 0-2.  Referee Richard Silverwood was caning Wigan with penalties to the Bulls and sent Thomas Leuluai into the sin bin with ten minutes on the clock for what was adjudged persistent offside. From a quick tap, the Warriors were caught as Wayne Godwin sneaked over for the first try of the game; Deacon added the extras, 0-8.  Wigan responded a Barrett grubber kick was pounced on by George Carmont for a touchdown on 14 minutes; the try went to the video referee and was give benefit of the doubt. Richards struck the goal, 6-8.  Wigan drew level on 27 minutes, a Richards penalty, 8-8.  Bull’s second rower Glenn Morrison was the next to be shown a yellow card with seven minutes of the half remaining and spent ten minutes on the sidelines, Morrison had been penalised before for lying on.  With three minutes of the half left Wigan opened up the Bulls down the middle courtesy of a clever dummy by Gareth Hock. He had Mathers in support who was held 20 metres short. Wigan worked it quickly to the left, Barrett with the pass to send in Darrell Goulding for the cherry and whites second try out wide. Richards goal was just hit to the right of the sticks, 12-8.  Just five minutes after the interval and Brian Noble’s side extended their lead. Goulding with an initial break from a Hock pass and it looked as if the chance had gone as he failed to see Colbon on his outside. From the play the ball, Barrett with a superb high cross field kick which Pat Richards plucked out of the sky away from James Evans for the try. The winger himself converted to make it 18-8.  Bradford got back into it with a Chris Feather try and Deacon goal, 18-14 the score approaching the mid way point of the second half.  A mistake by Michael Platt on the greasy surface allowed the ball to fall nicely though into the path of Joel Tomkins for Wigan’s fourth try of the night, Richards was spot on once more with the goal, the home side with a ten point advantage with 15 minutes remaining.  Wigan finished the stronger with a fifth try in the dying moments through Harrison Hansen in the corner, the conversion was missed and it ended 28-14.  Bradford never threatened a way back into it and it was another hard earned two Super League points for Brian Noble's side as they now face three trips on the road to Warrington, Huddersfield and St Helens.

Game Breaking Moment

Two blown chances by Shontayne Hape were key moments that sent the game Wigan's way.

Top Player

Andy Coley - Think all the forwards did great graft today though.

Reaction to the Action

Brian Noble: "The weather made it difficult to play the kind of rugby we want to play and the kind Bradford want to play. It was always going to be an arm-wrestle with these kinds of conditions. But I thought it was a good team effort. We were disappointed with certain aspects of our performance last week, and it was important we put that right for ourselves. We have made a good start, but we can't afford to get carried away. There are too many good teams out there. In relation to our form, we have still got some way to go with the standards we have set for ourselves. But it's good at this time of the year that you've still got those kinds of things to work on. I thought Gareth Hock had a super match. He was probably my man of the match. I thought he was great and, at times, he injected himself like he can do. I'm really pleased for him." Bradford coach Steve McNamara: "I'm disappointed in terms of where we are at the moment, with only one win from four matches. We're just lacking one or two little things and it's costing us dear. It's very frustrating. But, with the quality of the squad we've got and the number of games we have left, we'll be fine. It's not too hard to fix, but we have got to fix it as soon as possible. There are a couple of concentration issues there, but it's also the amount of errors we are making with the ball. It's been a tough start to the season for us. We don't want to be in the position we are. We are very, very disappointed we are one from four at this moment in time - but we'll be strong together. We've lost three games. We need to change that around, and we will do. We are disappointed - but we are not downbeat. We just need to find the solution."

Team Sheets

- Wigan Position Bradford - 1 Richard Mathers Full Back Michael Platt 1 14 Liam Colbon Winger James Evans 3 3 Darrell Goulding Centre Paul Sykes 24 4 George Carmont Centre Shontayne Hape 4 5 Pat Richards Winger Semi Tadulala 25 6 Trent Barrett Stand Off Ben Jeffries 22 7 Thomas Leuluai Scrum Half Paul Deacon 7 15 Andy Coley Prop Joe Vagana 8 9 Mick Higham Hooker Wayne Godwin 20 10 Iafeta Paleaaesina Prop Andy Lynch 10 11 Gareth Hock 2nd Row Glenn Morrison 12 16 Harrison Hansen 2nd Row Jamie Langley 13 13 Sean O'Loughlin L.Forward Sam Burgess 16 - - - - - 8 Stuart Fielden Substitute Iestyn Harris 6 17 Mike McIlorum Substitute Chris Feather 14 19 Paul Prescott Substitute Simon Finnigan 19 22 Joel Tomkins Substitute Chris Nero 23

Score Sheet

Wigan Warriors 28 --- Bradford Bulls 14 Tries (5): George Carmont Darrell Goulding Pat Richards Joel Tomkins Harrison Hansen --- Tries (2): Wayne Godwin Chris Feather Goals: Pat Richards 4/6 --- Goals: Paul Deacon 3/3

Scoring and Incident Pattern

05mins:25 Wigan 00 Bradford 02 Penalty Goal: Paul Deacon (1/1) 07mins:50 Wigan Sin Bin Thomas Leuluai (Persistent Fouling) 08mins:15 Wigan 00 Bradford 06 Try: Wayne Godwin - Wigan 00 Bradford 08 Conversion: Paul Deacon (2/2) 10mins:58 Wigan 04 Bradford 08 Try: George Carmont - Wigan 06 Bradford 08 Conversion: Pat Richards (1/1) 26mins:49 Wigan 08 Bradford 08 Penalty Goal: Pat Richards (2/2) 32mins:13 Bradford Sin Bin Glenn Morrison (Persistent Fouling) 37mins:24 Wigan 12 Bradford 08 Try: Darrell Goulding - Wigan 12 Bradford 08 P.Richards Missed Conversion (2/3) Half Time Wigan Warriors 12 Bradford Bulls 8 44mins:23 Wigan 16 Bradford 08 Try: Pat Richards - Wigan 18 Bradford 08 Conversion: Pat Richards (3/4) 55mins:57 Wigan 18 Bradford 12 Try: Chris Feather - Wigan 18 Bradford 14 Conversion: Paul Deacon (3/3) 62mins:53 Wigan 22 Bradford 14 Try: Joel Tomkins - Wigan 24 Bradford 14 Conversion: Pat Richards (4/5) 79mins:34 Wigan 28 Bradford 14 Try: Harrison Hansen - Wigan 28 Bradford 14 P.Richards Missed Conversion (4/6) Full Time Wigan Warriors 28 Bradford Bulls 14

Video Highlights

Referee

Richard Silverwood (Mirfield)

Video Referee

Ashley Klein

Penalties Conceded

Wigan 10 Bradford 9

Goal Line Drop Outs Forced

Wigan 1 Bradford 0

Match Attendance

15,444

Television

Weather

Wet. Heavy Pitch.

League Table at Conclusion of Super League 13 Round 4

- Team P W D L F A Diff Pts 1 Leeds Rhinos 4 4 0 0 128 36 +92 8 2 Wigan Warriors 4 3 0 1 125 82 +43 6 3 Warrington Wolves 4 3 0 1 121 96 +25 6 4 Harlequins 4 3 0 1 108 87 +21 6 5 St Helens 4 3 0 1 108 92 +16 6 6 Huddersfield Giants 4 2 0 2 114 88 +26 4 7 Hull Kingston Rovers 4 2 0 2 88 91 -3 4 8 Bradford Bulls 4 1 0 3 92 88 +4 2 9 Catalans Dragons 4 1 0 3 65 110 -45 2 10 Hull FC 4 1 0 3 58 106 -48 2 11 Wakefield Wildcats 4 1 0 3 82 136 -54 2 12 Castleford Tigers 4 0 0 4 58 135 -77 0 Round 4 Results Sat 1 Mar Wigan Warriors 28 Bradford Bulls 14 15,444 Sun 2 Mar Castleford Tigers 16 Harlequins 22 6,268 Sun 2 Mar Huddersfield Giants 28 Hull FC 8 8,012 Sun 2 Mar St Helens 34 Wakefield Wildcats 30 10,777 Sun 2 Mar Warrington Wolves 38 Catalan Dragons 18 9,060

1 Comments | 2089 Reads

Comments

tony whyte on March 22 2008 - 12:25 it was embarasing ive just watched the game again and how we panicked was unbelievable i think we should play some of our youngsters out of the a team who have desire to play nfor wigan

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