Round 11
Wakefield Trinity Wildcats 26 l. Wigan Warriors 40

2009 engage English Super League Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: engage English Super League

Ainscough makes most of late Wigan call up with four tries
Mon April 27, 2009
Source: www.superleague.co.uk

Wigan's teenage winger Shaun Ainscough made the most of his late call-up by scoring four tries to give his side a 40-26 victory and deny Wakefield the chance to move into second place in engage Super League.

The 19-year-old Ainscough, who was only restored to the Warriors line-up following the withdrawal of George Carmont, raced in for his first Super League hat-trick in the first half before adding a fourth after the break to take his try tally for the season to 16 in just 10 senior appearances.

Ainscough's devastating finishing overshadowed the Danny Brough show as the Wildcats twice let slip the lead to lose their Challenge Cup dress rehearsal Brough created the game's first try for winger Damien Blanch with a trademark kick to the corner and kicked the first of five goals to give his side a 6-0 lead.

Neither side looked comfortable in defence and the Warriors took particular advantage of a glaring weakness on the Wakefield right to establish a 16-6 lead after 18 minutes.

Australian utility back Cameron Phelps, switched from full-back to centre in the absence of Carmont, took Tim Smith's pinpoint pass to cross for a try and then helped produce some sublime handling to get Ainscough over twice in nine minutes.

Brough then took advantage of Wigan's indiscipline to kick a penalty before collecting his first try after winger Scott Grix pounced on a handling error from Wigan full-back Pat Richards.

Wigan briefly lost England second rower Gareth Hock through injury midway through the first half but extended their lead when substitute Sam Tomkins combined with skipper Sean O'Loughlin to get Ainscough over for his hat-trick on 30 minutes.

There was again only two points in it when Brough intercepted Martin Gleeson's pass to race over from 45 metres for his second try just before the break.

And the Wildcats went back in front four minutes into the second half when Blanch exposed Ainscough's frailty under the high ball to collect Brough's high kick and score his second try, although he failed to finish the game after sustaining a knee injury near the end. The lead changed hands for a third time when Phelps pounced on Smith's grubber kick to collect his second try and Richards kicked his fourth goal.

The visitors lost hooker Mark Riddell, who went went off with a hamstring injury 15 minutes from the end, but clinched a fourth successive win over the Wildcats when Gleeson glided in for his second try for the club.

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