A match report.

I hope people don't mind me starting another thread on the HKR match but I put a bit of effort into this and didn't want it lost 6 pages down another one!

Well this is a long post as it’s in “match report style” and I am writing this off line before reading any of the comments on tonight’s game and before I had sunk the cans I have in the fridge so I can hopefully having had the time to reflect on the drive home give a fair an unbiased view of the game tonight.

The first half was some of the most committed and best RL I have seen Wigan play for a long time, at least defensively. The tackles that were going in were punishing and we played a smart game given the appallingly wet conditions as we kicked long and well and played the game in the HKR half. It was good tactics.

HKR had the first scoring chance though in the first few minutes with a break up the middle but Roberts got back with a superb cover tackle. We managed to keep them out from there and the goal line defends was generally miles better than earlier in the season for most of the match.
It was very entertaining to watch despite the lack of tries. One that people who like a tough contest and not games that end up 42-36 would appreciate.

We went into the lead with what can only be described as one of the best passes I have seen from Smith to Lockers who came in on an angled run about 10m to 15m out. It beat the defence hands down.
The game remained 6-0 with more of the punishing defence (and from HKR as well) right up until the half time hooter and here is where the controversy will be.

Silverwood worked HKR up the field with a series of penalties until they were within a few meters of our line on the left. The play was executed and the HKR player was tackled to the ground by two or three Wigan defenders. Then the hooter went, while IMO the player was still on the ground. So what does Silverwood do? Signal a PTB. Well we all know they scored from it and while the Wigan players may have been guilty of playing to the hooter not the whistle I’d like to know just what the rules are on this.

Comments on the first half can’t be concluded without a mention of an utterly superb tackle by (I think) McIllorum (or was it Fielden?)on Dobson. He must have been a meter away from the line was expecting to put the ball down for a try when tight out of nowhere BAM he was simply cleaned out. It was like watching a scene from the Matrix with Dobson (well I think it was him with the ball) moving in slow motion while McIllorum shot in and saved the day.

So half time 6-6 and we were very unlucky not to be 6-0 ahead.
However while we were unlucky we had still only scored 6 points despite a lot of pressure on the HKR line and at one point we must have had at least three set sof six where nothing came of it and we did in these sets look pretty clueless. For example Feka was on the pitch and each time he was used as a decoy and never once given the chance to take the line on from short range. The writing was on the wall IMO.

The second half began very well because more or less right from the kick off it was 12-6 to Wigan after an error by a HKR player gave us field position down the middle and TL made a great little break to pass to Lockers again to score under the sticks. So that sickener of a try conceded was wiped out almost instantly.

You might have thought this would have put us “back in the groove” of the 1st half but we basically simply went to pot. The second half was like chalk and cheese compared to the first. The kicking game went out of the window for some reason and we looked far less like a team than we did in the first. I have no idea why. The turning point came when Smith, the hero of the first half went from the sublime to the ridiculous.

He was caught in possession on the last tackle on our own 40m line on the last tackle isolated by two HKR players. A rotten position to be in but he should just have taken the tackle. What does he do? Try to kick it. It gets charged down and HKR are gifted 6 points. It was a brain fart of the highest order.

Unfortunately not long after this Fielden was penalised on their 40m line and they quickly worked the ball down our left to score after some pathetic tackling by Carmont. From 12-6 up to 12-18 and you just knew there was no way back from here. Why?

Well HKR had by now worked out the few attacking moves we had. It’s as simple as that IMO. We were back to early season form of lacking the savvy to break a good defence down. As I said earlier at the end of the first half we failed to score despite huge pressure well we got down their end plenty enough times to score but simply had not go the players to unlock their defence. It was also the case as I said we generally lost the plot and the cohesion, the kicking game and team game we played in the first half went out of the window. We simply had no idea how to score.

So why not? Well I am sure you know what is coming. Noble dropped Tomkins and of course Ainscough wasn’t in the 19. Two players who would have IMO offered the variation and threat sadly lacking throughout the game on attack. Our bench was no threat with Riddell not offering much. He did one great run a prop would have been proud of but that part of the problem he looks more like a prop than a game changing hooker.

I was asked what side I would pick for tonight’s game earlier today and I said same as last week with Ainscough in for Roberts which would also have meant no Riddell with Tomkins retaining his place and despite Roberts cover tackle he offered little else and came up with at least one glaring error. I am, given our attacking performance tonight and despite the conditions convinced that would have been the better selection despite the rain and it isn't hindsight.

Dave