Warriors clinch top spot
Wigan sealed their first League Leaders' Shield since 2000 with a 38-18 victory at Hull KR on Sunday.
Last Updated: 23/08/10 7:32am
Wigan sealed their first League Leaders' Shield since 2000 with a 38-18 victory at Hull KR on Sunday.
The Warriors were 14-0 ahead at the interval but Rovers responded with three tries early in the second half before Michael Maguire's troops re-grouped, running in four scores in the final 20 minutes to clinch the points.
Wigan started without Mark Gleeson, George Carmont and the suspended Stuart Fielden, but they were first on the scoresheet after four minutes when Sam Tomkins broke down the left before offloading for Pat Richards to score.
It was a rough start for Rovers, who had seen Ben Cockayne cross two minutes earlier only for the try to be ruled out for not grounding in the field of play.
Richards added a 21st minute penalty before Wigan crossed again, Stefan Marsh going over in the right hand corner, although Richards was unable to convert this time.
But with seconds to go before the half-time whistle, Tomkins made another great run from his own line, beating several men before Michael Dobson brought him down with an illegal challenge, allowing Richards the chance to add another goal.
Fired-up
The hosts came out all fired-up for the second half and with play just two minutes old, Scott Murrell had forced his way over the line for a try converted by Dobson.
Immediately afterwards they forced the Warriors to drop out from behind their own line, and clawed their way even further back when Matt Cook went in for a try in the 45th minute from a Ben Fisher pass and Dobson added the extras.
Three minutes later Rovers remarkably got their noses in front for the first time when Rhys Lovegrove touched down, Dobson landing his third conversion from three attempts.
Joel Tomkins looked to have been halted in the 63rd minute but play was allowed to go on and brother Sam capitalised to cross the line for a try which was converted by Richards - putting the visitors back in the lead.
Richards inflicted more damage six minutes later when he raced round behind the posts for his second try which he also converted.
Joel Tomkins got on the scoresheet when he strolled in with four minutes to go and Richards' conversion made it 32-18.
Luke Charnley, recalled from Rovers following a successful loan spell, was introduced from the bench and added the final try with two minutes left against his former team-mates before Richards concluded matters, finishing with an 18-point haul.
