Wigan went top of the table, for an hour or two at least, after a thrilling 28-16 Good Friday victory over rivals, St Helens.

The Warriors led 18-0 at the interval after a dominant first forty but were thoroughly made to work for their win during the second stanza.

The opening stages failed to foreshadow what lay ahead with both sides chancing their arm with an equal share of possession.

Wigan went ahead by six points with just under ten minutes played after Pat Richards rounded off a slick attacking move before curling in the touchline conversion.

Former St Helens half-back, Matty Smith, who in the week revealed how he was chased by Nathan Brown ahead of the new season, supplied Jack Hughes with a space finding short ball, who in turn sent in Sam Tomkins.

The energetic Warriors had by now stamped their mark on the game and stretched ahead to a 18 point half time lead after the visitors failed in a last tackle play.

After a period of unorganized chaos, Josh Jones’ bomb was recovered by winger, Josh Charnley who then dashed past his opponents and a further 95 metres to score a near full length try.

But it would be a mistake to ever write off the Saints, a point proven by Paul
Clough who powered over minutes into the second stanza after a motivational half-time team talk from Nathan Brown.

Dom Crosby briefly restored the Warriors’ deficit back to 18 points but Sam Tomkins and Ben Flower were at fault for an error from the kick off.

The Saints were handed a penalty after Matty Smith recovered the ball from an offside position after Tomkins spilled the ball.

Winger Francis Meli powered over on the left flank but Mark Percival missed the goal which would have put his side just two scores behind.

On the back of a well worked attacking move Meli was then on hand to set up full-back, Tommy Makinson who put his side within eight points.

However Pat Richards would be the happier winger after registering a second try to secure the victory.

Wigan: S Tomkins, Charnley, Goulding, Thornley, Richards, Green, Smith, Crosby, McIlorum, Flower, Tuson, Farrell, O'Loughlin.
Replacements: Hughes, Taylor, L Tomkins, Burke.
T: Richards 2, Tomkins, Charnley, Crosby
G: Richards 4/5

St Helens: Makinson, Garner, Turner, Percival, Meli, Wellens, Wilkin, Laffranchi, Howarth, McCarthy-Scarsbroook, Jones, Manu, Walker.
Replacements: Flanagan, Clough, Walmsley, Soliola.
T: Clough, Meli, Makinson
G: Percival 2/3

Referee: Richard Silverwood
Video Referee: Phil Bentham

Man of the Match: Pat Richards