Two first-half tries from Bevan French proved just enough to send Wigan Warriors into their third consecutive Betfred Super League Grand Final with a 18-6 win over Leigh Leopards at the Brick Community Stadium.
The manner of the home side’s victory was a far cry from the 38-0 thumping they dished out to their neighbours at the same stage last season, in a tie that seldom lived up to its pre-match hype and bluster.
The Leopards had cancelled out French’s opener through Robbie Mulhern, but trailed 14-6 at half-time after French’s second try and, although they sporadically threatened to reduce the deficit in the second half, Sam Walters flopped over on the final hooter to confirm the win.
Inevitably, the remnants of Storm Amy swirling around the stadium had made conditions difficult and momentum proved elusive for both teams throughout an attritional and frankly rather forgettable contest.
Leigh’s owner Derek Beaumont inexplicably threatened to pull out of the fixture due to a row over his club’s ticket allocation two days earlier, and he was not present to witness his side make an encouraging start.
The visitors were denied the game’s opening try when Owen Trout ran onto a grubber kick but extensive video replays ruled he had been held up by a last-gasp intervention from Harry Smith.
Wigan had scarcely managed to summon a consistent attack until they grasped the lead out of nowhere on the quarter-hour, Liam Farrell and Liam Byrne combining to rob Leopards full-back Bailey Hodgson and gift Adam Keighran the chance to send French scooting over for the opener.
Keighran kicked Wigan six clear but Leigh responded well and they rounded off a spell of pressure when Robbie Mulhern squeezed over shortly after Junior Nsemba’s knock-on.
O’Brien’s kick looked set to send Leigh in level at the break, but Wigan piled on the pressure in the last 10 minutes of the half and, after a Keighran penalty nuged them back in front, French scored his second try on the hooter after Jai Field skipped through a gap on the right and fed his compatriot inside.
Leigh showed plenty of intent at the start of the second half, and an uncharacteristic mistake by Smith enabled them to pile on the pressure, with both Hodgson and Ipape coming agonisingly close to finding a gap.
Great skills from Kruise Leeming sparked a sweeping Wigan move from which Nsemba charged close before being barged into touch, but the hosts remained strangely sluggish in defence and the impact of Brad Dwyer helped the visitors regain the momentum.
Only a world-class tackle from Jai Field on Trout to stop the Leigh man arrowing in at the corner on 65 minutes kept the home side’s lead intact but it was one that looked increasingly fragile until Walters confirmed the win on the final hooter.
Wigan will face Hull KR or St Helens, who meet on Saturday, in the Super League Grand Final.
PA
