Wigan back on top after beating sub-par Leigh in ‘Battle of the Borough’

Defending Super League champions Wigan eased back to the top of the table with a comfortable 28-6 victory over below-par neighbours Leigh.

The Warriors ran in five tries at the Brick Community Stadium, four in a one-sided first half, as they leapfrogged Hull KR at the summit and dealt the visitors’ play-off hopes a major blow.

Adam Keighran contributed 12 points with a try and four goals while Junior Nsemba, Jake Wardle, Patrick Mago and Harvie Hill also got on the scoresheet in the rearranged clash.

The victory gave Matt Peet’s side a two-point advantage at the top while Leigh’s loss left them five points adrift of the top six with their game in hand gone.

Story of the match

Leigh’s night began badly when Jack Hughes was sin-binned after just seven minutes for a high tackle on Kruise Leeming and Wigan immediately took advantage.

Jack Hughes was shown a yellow card for his high tackle on Kruise Leeming

The Leopards were slow to react as Nsemba gathered a wayward Kaide Ellis pass and weaved his way through several half-hearted tackles to touch down.

Leigh were punished again shortly before Hughes’ return to the field, this time after Frankie Halton lost the ball in a tackle, allowing Wigan to pounce as Wardle found Liam Marshall out wide and then took a return pass to finish a swift counter-attack.

Adam Keighran ran things for Wigan as they came out on top in the Battle of the Borough

Leigh tried to respond but Edwin Ipape and Brad Dwyer were both stopped short and Wigan extended their advantage to 22-0 with two more tries before the break.

Keighran burst through a gap and met only limited resistance from Matt Moylan before scoring and Mago also crashed over from close range.

Perhaps because he was carrying a knock, the usually dependable Moylan did not return for the start of the second half as Hull-bound Zak Hardaker came off the bench to take over at full-back.

Patrick Mago was happy to get involved in Wigan’s try-scoring action

Leigh found a bit more energy and Lachlan Lam gave the visitors hope when he forced his way over after a good break by Kai O’Donnell and Darnell McIntosh converted.

Yet any potential fightback was killed off as the impressive Leeming dabbed through a kick from dummy half and Hill applied the finishing touch.

Leigh showed some spirit and Lam stretched the defence before gifting possession to Abbas Miski, while McIntosh was denied a spectacular diving effort in the corner by the video referee.

Umyla Hanley also pushed for a late consolation but was blocked by strong Wigan defending on the line.

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