Joe Burgess hat-trick helps Wigan to 40-22 win at Wakefield
Last Updated: 24/04/15 3:46pm
Joe Burgess scored his first Super League hat-trick as Wigan claimed a 40-22 victory over Wakefield at Belle Vue.
Burgess, who joins Sydney Roosters at the end of the season, scored three of the Warriors’ seven tries as they secured their first away win of the season.
It was a third consecutive win for Shaun Wane's men and a fifth from their last six matches but their coach will be far from happy with their performance and his mood will have worsened by a hamstring injury to centre Anthony Gelling.
Wakefield were without seven senior players through injury and their problems worsened as debutant Ian Kirke sustained a broken thumb and Danny Washbrook damaged his ribs as they fell to a ninth successive Super League defeat.
Yet the Wildcats made the best possible start, with makeshift centre Matt Ryan breaking clear from his own half after just 30 seconds to create a try for full-back Craig Hall, who then kicked the first of his three goals.
Wigan looked to have gained control, however, when prop Dom Crosby took Michael McIlorum's pass to crash over for his first try for more than two years and scrum-half Matty Smith punished some schoolboy defending for a solo score.
Flying wingers Burgess and Dom Manfredi both produced clinical finishes to double the Warriors' try tally before half-time, but the gritty Yorkshiremen would not lie down as the game opened up after Sam Powell (Wigan) and Tim Smith (Wakefield) were despatched to the sin bin following a skirmish.
Daniel Smith got skipper Danny Kirmond through a chink in the visitors' defence for a try and stand-off Pita Godinet added another on the stroke of half-time, darting over from dummy half to leave Wakefield trailing 24-18.
Burgess scorched over for his second try within two minutes of the restart following smart work from Dan Sarginson as Wigan established a 12-point lead for the third time.
However, former Wakefield forward Taulima Tautai was then punished for a stray pass as Chris Riley pounced for an unconverted try.
The game always looked to be within Wigan's grasp, though, and they opened up a three-score lead on 57 minutes when prop Lee Mossop proved unstoppable from 10 metres out.
Burgess was denied when referee Robert Hicks ruled a knock-on from George Williams' grubber kick but he duly completed his hat-trick on 63 minutes after accepting Williams' cut-out pass to cross in the corner.
