With three games of the regular season remaining the game of the round, and probably the game of the season, was a Friday night game from The Brick as second placed Wigan Warriors faced the league leading Hull KR in what was essentially a shoot-out for the minor premiership.
Wigan were favourites with the bookies and had been handicapped by six points on the coupon but try telling that to the masses who had made the journey from the east coast to cheer their side to what they hoped would be a famous victory.
It promised to be a magical night for one of these sides as their laid claim to the top of the table.
The game lived up to expectations in the early encounters with both sides demonstrating that they were willing to keep the ball alive, despite the speed at which the game was being played, and the ferociousness of some of the tackles.
The Robins hit the front on eighteen with a Matt Parcell special as he scooted from acting half back five from the line and stretched for the line to score under the sticks. Mikey Lewis added the conversion for a 6-0 lead to the visitors, the home support momentarily silenced.
On twenty-three Mikey Lewis shrugged off the Wigan tacklers, stepping off both feet for a mercurial try. The KR talisman was wide with the conversion attempt of his own goal but the home support was stunned, the Robins with a 10-0 lead.
Joe Burgess was sin-binned for a professional foul after an amazing effort to chase and haul down Jai Field. Two minutes later a magnificent by Abbas Miski put Wigan right back in the game as he flew in at the corner and grounded, one handed, a split second before going into touch. Adam Keighran put the conversion attempt wide of the sticks, the Warriors back within six.
On thirty-three the punishment for the sinbin increased as Junior Nsemba took a Bevan French pass and accelerated over from fifteen metres out for the score. Keighran was again wide of the mark, but the lead was down to just two points.
A high tackle penalty was welcomed by KR on thirty-seven as they tried to run the clock down to the return of Burgess, Lewis putting the ball between the uprights for 14-10.
A late hit by Tom Forber on a kicking Mikey Lewis gifted the visitors with another two points to extend the lead to a converted try.
An eighty-metre intercept and break from Peta Hiku saw him within ten of the line before he selflessly passed inside to Burgess to complete the move and dive in for the try. Lewis find the mark again with the boot for 20-8, Hull KR pulling away.
A magical try from French on fifty-six, kicking a grubber kick towards the posts, regaining the ball and jinking past two tacklers to go in. Keighran found the mark for the first time in the game and again reduce the deficit to six points.
On the hour mark Jai Whitbread was sinbinned for a shoulder to the head with mitigation, Wigan smelled blood.
Wigan were back within two points on sixty-three Cade Ellis finding Liam Marshall in plenty of space to gain speed and weave through the KR defence to slide on for the try. Keighran hit the target to level the scores for the first time in the game, both sides with everything to play for.
Wigan hit the front on sixty-seven with another length of the field try, Marshall on hand to finish from twenty after great work by Patrick Mago and Jake Wardle. Keighran was unable to add the touchline conversion, hitting the far upright, but Hull KR had paid a massive price for their two sin-binnings, during which they had conceded four tries.
This win means that the Wigan Warriors have one hand on the league leaders shield but with a massive points difference deficit against Hull KR they cannot afford a slip up in their remaining two games against the Leeds Rhino or the Salford Red Devils. Hull KR will be left ruing what could have been and the four tries which they conceded when they were down to twelve men through poor discipline and carelessness. There is still a little way to go, but the bookies have now installed Wigan as clear favourites to finish top of the pile.
Wigan Warriors: Field, Miski (T), Keighran (4/4 G), Wardle, Marshall (2T), French (T), Smith, Havard, Leeming, Thompson, Nsemba (T), Farrell, Ellis. Subs: Mago, Forber, Byrne, Dupree. 18th Man: Walters.
Hull KR: Broadbent, Burgess (T, SB on 28), Hiku, Gildart, Hall, May, Lewis (T, 4/5 G), Sue, Parcell (T), Whitbread (SB on 59), Hadley, Batchelor, Minchella. Subs: Litten, Luckley, Storton, Tanginoa. 18th Man: Brown.
Half-Time: 8-12.
Full-Time: 24-20.
Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, 0-10, (SB), 4-10, 8-10, 8-12 : HT: 8-14, 8-18, 8-20, 12-20, 14-20, (SB), 18-20, 20-20, 24-20 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: Hull KR – Square – Wigan.
Referee: Jack Smith.
