Wigan win Good Friday derby against St Helens in front of bumper crowd

Wigan ran-out 14-6 winners against rivals St Helens in the first Good Friday back at the DW Stadium since 2019, with more than 24,000 in attendance.

The official number was 24,275 – the highest attendance for a Wigan home game at the DW for 18 years.

The Warriors were 8-0 up at the break thanks to a try from Harry Smith as well as two goals from the half-back.

Toby King extended Wigan’s lead in the second half before Jonny Lomax pulled one back for Saints. It was the Warriors who finished 14-6 winners in front of a bumper crowd, live on Sky Sports.

How it happened

Wigan opened the scoring in the 10th minute as Jake Wardle made a superb break down the left to assist the supporting Harry Smith on his inside. Smith converted his own try to put Wigan 6-0 up.

Smith extended Wigan’s lead on the half hour mark with a penalty goal for an interference at the play the ball.

St Helens came close to scoring in the latter stages of the first half through Tommy Makinson, but he was denied by an incredible last ditch tackle by Warriors full-back Bevan French.

The hosts took an 8-0 lead into the changing rooms at the break.

Wigan ahead at the break

Wigan extended their lead in the 53rd minute through Ireland international Toby King. The Warriors had back-to-back sets after Sione Mata’utia was penalised for a late hit on Wigan’s makeshift half-back Joe Shorrocks. Harry Smith converted to put his side in a 14-0 lead.

The Saints, showing true champion spirit, didn’t give up and fought their way back in to the game. They pulled one back on the hour when Jonny Lomax latched onto a lovely grubber from his half-back partner Lewis Dodd.

Saints enforcer thought he had scored for Saints just moments later but it was chalked off by the video referee due to losing the ball as he went over.

Paul Wellens’ side were dealt a blow in the final 10 minutes of the game. Mata’utia left the field on stretcher after being knocked out in a collision.

And Wigan lost prop Mike Cooper in the closing stages as he limped off the field.

St Helens applied pressure to Wigan’s line in the dying embers but the Warriors held on for a 14-6 Good Friday victory.

Wigan: French; Miski, King, Wardle, Marshall; Shorrocks, Smith; Byrne, Powell, Cooper, Pearce-Paul, Farrell, Smithies. Subs: Singleton, Ellis, Havard, O’Neill. 18th man: Thornley.

Tries: Smith, King Goals: Smith 3

St Helens: Welsby; Makinson, Hurrell, Percival, Hopoate; Lomax, Dodd; Paasi, Roby, Lees, Mata’utia, Sironen, Knowles. Subs: Lussick, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Bell, Delaney. 18th man: Bennison.

Tries: Lomax Goals: Percival 1

Attendance: 24,275

READ NEXT: Derby delight for Hull KR as Robins claim bragging rights