Betfred Super League

Wigan (18) 38

Tries: French, Eckersley 2, Partington 2, Keighran Goals: Keighran 7

St Helens (12) 16

Tries: Welsby, Douglas, Murphy Goals: Hastings 2

Wigan Warriors earned their third successive derby win against St Helens as their opponents kicked off the post-Paul Rowley era with a humbling Super League defeat.

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Rowley left Saints on Thursday after less than a year in the role and with the team out of form.

Under the interim stewardship of Eamon O’Carroll, they were defeated by Wigan for the second time in succession in the league this term and the second time this month.

Jack Welsby got Saints off the mark, and although Bevan French responded soon after, Jacob Douglas restored the visitors’ lead.

Wigan then took charge as Zach Eckersley and Oliver Partington both scored twice and Adam Keighran slid in for their sixth try, before Lewis Murphy ran in an acrobatic finish to restore some pride for the visitors.

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Victory for Wigan moved them level with Super League leaders Leeds Rhinos on 30 points, but Wakefield’s big win against Castleford meant the Warriors dropped a place to third in the table.

Meanwhile, St Helens have now lost seven of their past 11 games in all competitions.

Under Rowley’s tenure, Saints had won the first derby of the season thanks to a memorable comeback win at Easter, but a hammering in the Challenge Cup semi-final soon after and a narrow defeat at the Magic Weekend earlier this month meant Wigan came into this latest meeting with momentum over their rivals.

Yet it was St Helens who went ahead inside the opening five minutes as Welsby weaved his way through, prospering after Harry Smith failed to stop his run when he lost his footing in the build-up.

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That lead did not last long and Wigan hit back via a flowing set of passes as they eventually sent French through to score with ease.

If Wigan’s move was good, Douglas’ score was even better and came via some quick movement from a scrum, but no sooner did they score than Wigan worked the ball wide to Eckersley who touched down at the corner to make things square once more.

The hosts were not done there and edged ahead when French put in a sumptuous kick to the corner for Eckersley to collect and ground in sensational fashion for his 30th try of the season.

Saints’ Harry Robertson controversially had a try chalked off despite his score being given by referee Liam Moore on the field. On review, video referee Jack Smith ruled it out – with television replays not conclusively showing the ball had not been grounded.

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After the break, Wigan kept up a sustained spell of pressure and were rewarded when Partington crashed over the line, and things went from bad to worse for Saints as Jackson Hastings was sin-binned against his former club for a pull back on French, denying him a potential try.

Partington added a second in the interim and Keighran beat Murphy to the punch as he successfully – and easily – chased a kick to go in for another Wigan try, but Murphy atoned with nine minutes left as he dived in at the corner.

Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet told BBC Radio Manchester:

“I’m pleased with the two points, I’m pleased we came through healthy. There were elements where we were quite loose. Saints were desperate, it was probably exactly the kind of game I expected to be honest.

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“We just had to do the right things and we were confident we had the better of it when it went set for set.

“Bevan [French] will be better for the run-out that’s for sure. He brings a lot to the group.”

Wigan: Field; Eckersley, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall; French, Smith; Havard, O’Neill, Thompson, Partington, Ellis, Kerr.

Interchanges: Walters, Mago, Hodkinson, O’Connor.

St Helens: Welsby; Murphy, Sailor, Davies, Douglas; Robertson, Hastings; Host, Burns, Suluka-Fifita, Cartwright, Wright, Shorrocks.

Interchanges: Delaney, Sinclair, Humphreys, Evans.

Referee: Liam Moore.