Super League: Wigan Warriors 28-6 Leeds Rhinos
Last Updated: 12/03/16 9:59am
Wigan piled on the misery for Super League champions Leeds with a five-try rout in their Grand Final rematch at the DW Stadium on Friday night.
The Warriors led only 6-0 after 55 minutes but eventually cut loose to run out 28-6 victors and maintain their 100 per cent record, drawing level with table-toppers Widnes in the process.
A fourth defeat from their first five games leaves the Rhinos languishing in ninth place, although they were spared the embarrassment of being nilled for the first time since 1998 when full-back Zak Hardaker grabbed a last-minute consolation try.
Wigan were forced into a late change when England half-back George Williams pulled out with a hamstring injury, which meant a Super League debut off the bench for 20-year-old Nick Gregson.
Skipper Sean O'Loughlin, who started Wigan's first three games at prop, tried his best to fill in at stand-off but the home side struggled for cohesion for long periods in the absence of their young playmaker.
The Warriors enjoyed the majority of possession and looked far more threatening, but unenforced handling errors on the final play scuppered their chance to be further ahead at the break.
The home side thought they had opened the scoring on 10 minutes when second rower Liam Farrell ran onto a pass from his England team-mate Matty Smith to slice through the Rhinos defence, but video referee Richard Silverwood
disallowed the try for an obstruction in back play.
Leeds ignored the chance to kick for goal when awarded a penalty in front of the posts during a rare period of play in Wigan territory and prop Adam Cuthbertson lost the ball near the line, forcing the Rhinos to continue to defend rather than attack.
The only first-half try came on 26 minutes when right winger Dom Manfredi broke out of his own half and, although he was eventually hauled down by Hardaker inches short of the line, second rower John Bateman nipped over from the resulting play-of-the-ball.
Smith added the goal and the score stayed at 6-0 for another half-hour as the visitors continued to soak up the relentless pressure.
Leeds were just showing signs of getting into the game when their hosts struck with two tries in six minutes just short of the hour mark to finally end the game as a contest.
A break from prop Ryan Sutton set up the position for centre Oliver Gildart to force his way over at the left corner before Manfredi took a pass from right centre Anthony Gelling to jink his way over at the other corner.
Smith kicked his second goal to make it 16-0 and Leeds' defensive efforts began to take their toll as prop Tony Clubb and Gelling went over for further tries in the space of four minutes.
Leeds finished a well-beaten side but at least had the final word when Hardaker crossed as the hooter was about to sound and converted his own consolation try.
