Wigan made the short trip over Billinge hill to visit Liverpool Saint Helens, a club with a proud history and famously the home club of the late great, Ray French, who is sadly missed by everyone with an interest in the oval ball.
The voice of Rugby league would have had plenty to shout about as both teams came to play a free flowing running style, which played into the hands of the talented Wigan back line.
The opening 15 minutes saw Wigan carve LSH apart on a number of occasions, scoring two tries in the process and bombing at least two more. The first, coming courtesy of a set piece play from a scrum 30 yards out, which saw the ball moved swiftly along the backline, where Logan Astley found speedster, Nathan Butler who was able to finish the move in the corner. Joss Parker added the extras. The second was another blistering move by the backs. Jack Proffitt collected a poor clearance kick just inside his own half and broke the line of chasing LSH defenders before finding Mason Fillingham on his outside. Fillingham, in his first game of the season for the Douglas Valley side, showed his skills by dancing and skipping through the flailing defence before turning the ball inside for Logan Astley to sprint onto and finish from 40 yards. Parker added the extras for a 0-14 lead.
The home side were clearly rocked by ease at which the Wigan backline could play the ball and changed their game plan. Keeping the ball tight was now the order of the day and the big LSH pack set about grinding the ball down field where they added a score of their own.
Wigan met the challenge well and despite fielding a pack which was considerably more lightweight than their opponents, they set about chopping the big men down. Time after time and scrum after scrum Wigan unsettled their opponents and didn’t allow their size advantage to pay any further dividends. LSH discipline slipped in the dying moments of the second half and Wigan took full advantage, with Captain, Harry Barker taking a quick tap penalty and forcing his way over. Parker added the conversion for a 5 – 21 lead at the break.
The game resumed with Wigan once again enjoying the lion share of the territory before a loose ball in the LSH 22 was picked up by the winger who raced away for a score that took him almost the full length of the field.
LSH took heart from this score against the run of play and once again worked hard through the pack to grind territory. A series of scrums on the Wigan 5 metre line were wheeled until eventually they worked the ball over to take the scores to a nervy 17 – 21 with 20 minutes remaining.
The LSH pack once again worked into the Wigan half but some diligent defending saw the ball come loose and Logan Astley pounced. Astley picked up the ball and spotted the space in behind a defence that hadn’t reorganised and put a perfectly weighted grubber kick through. Nathan Butler had read the play well and was already on his way to chase the kick down. Butler outpaced the recovering full back and ball bounced sweetly into his arms making the finish a simple one. Parker added the conversion for a 17 – 28 lead.
With just a few minutes remaining, Wigan were awarded a penalty just inside the LSH half. LSH discipline slipped and not for the first time the home side were marched back another 10 yards for dissent. This put the penalty in range for a shot at goal and Joss Parker neatly slotted it home for a 17 – 31 lead which put Wigan out of reach of even the wildest of come backs.
Wigan leave with a bonus point win in the bag which leaves them firmly in the middle of the league table, but more than that, they leave with the knowledge that they are more than able to compete with the bigger and more experienced sides at this level.
Wigan return to face LSH next weekend, this time in the Cup, where we can be sure the men from St Helens will be keen to get their revenge.