Wigan beat Huddersfield to go top of Super League

Betfred Super League

Huddersfield (6) 6

Try: Wallis Goal: Connor

Wigan (12) 48

Tries: Marshall 3, French 2, Leeming, Miski 2 Goals: Smith 8

Liam Marshall's hat-trick of tries and a stunning display from Bevan French helped Wigan Warriors climb to the top of Super League as they beat Huddersfield Giants.

Wigan had Liam Byrne sent to the bin inside the first minute after his high tackle on Matty English but Marshall ran the length of the field moments later to get Wigan going.

Elliott Wallis scored from distance to get Huddersfield on the board but French's try gave Wigan a six-point cushion at the break.

Marshall and French both added their second scores after the restart with the former then dancing in for his third, before Kruise Leeming and Abbas Miski wrapped up the win.

Despite their player disadvantage after Byrne's yellow card in the opening stages of the game, it was Wigan who raced ahead courtesy of a lung-busting run from Marshall.

The Wigan winger intercepted a pass virtually on his own try-line and showed incredible pace despite the early summer warmth at the John Smith's Stadium.

Harry Smith's boot put the visitors 8-0 up and Huddersfield finally got on the scoresheet after Byrne's return to the field.

Wallis ran in from deep in his own half in similar fashion to Wigan's score, and rounded Marshall before touching down to claw down the gap to two points.

French easily ran in with 20 minutes on the clock to give the Warriors a six-point advantage before Wigan took control in the second half.

Marshall's second try came as he worked onto Jai Field's pass to work his way over following a repeat set and before long he had his third.

A flowing set of passes out to Marshall on the wing saw him weave his way into space to touch down and put the visitors out of sight.

The pick of Wigan's tries will arguably be Leeming's score as the game ticked down as he worked onto a sensational late offload from French to race in.

Huddersfield finished the match with 12 players as Esan Marsters stuck a leg out to bring down French in the midst of another Wigan attack.

Wigan took no time at all to make their advantage count, though, with French once again in the thick of the action as he sent through Miski to break the 40-point mark.

Miski doubled his tally with two minutes remaining having run through with ease, with his score ensuring the Cherry and Whites would move to the Super League summit on points difference - and with a game in hand.

Huddersfield Giants boss Ian Watson:

“First half I thought there was nothing in it. But second half I didn’t see that one coming, we just capitulated, you can talk about individual brilliance but I didn’t see it coming.

“It makes you want to go back to the drawing board and think whether I’m picking the right team or not. We don’t have much choice with what we’re doing but it makes you question a few things.

“That’s our worst performance, we’ve had three losses on the bounce going into a semi-final.

“They know it is not good enough, our standards are usually pretty gritty as a team and we didn’t see that in the second half. A massive wake-up call here. “

Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet:

“I thought that it was a tough game, much tougher than the scoreline suggests as it always is against Huddersfield.

“Huddersfield were probably the better team and they exposed us through some good plays. It was pleasing to get the opportunity for the lads to regroup and I thought second half was a job well done.

“I’d like to dominate the whole game but that’s just the way it unfolds, you can’t account for a sin-bin first play of the game and the way Huddersfield play you are not going to win these games from the first minute to the last.

“You just want to keep momentum and keep improving, you don’t know when you’re having a bad day or a good day. You’ve just got to stay level.”

Huddersfield: Connor; Halsall, Marsters, Naiqama, Wallis; Lolohea, Clune; Wilson, Milner, English, Rushton, Cudjoe, Yates.

Interchanges: Golding, Ikahihifo, Greenwood, Hewitt.

Wigan: Field; Miski, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall; French, Smith; Thompson, O'Neill, Byrne, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis.

Interchanges: Havard, Mago, Leeming, Dupree.

Referee: Aaron Moore.