Super League: Wigan Warriors 22-18 Wakefield Trinity Wildcats

Sean O'Loughlin had never been sent off before in his career

England captain Sean O'Loughlin was sent off but Wigan Warriors fought back late on to win a dramatic match against Wakefield and move top of Super League.

O'Loughlin was shown the first red card of his career for a high shot on Chris Annakin near the end of a first half in which two Warriors men were sin-binned.

Wakefield, trailing 10-6 at the break, took an 18-10 lead in the second half.

But Wigan battled back and Lewis Tierney crossed in the corner in the final minute to win a bruising game.

A win for Wakefield - who won the reverse fixture 62-0 in April - would have guaranteed their place in the top eight and the chances of that increased when Max Jowitt collected Liam Finn's inside pass to score the first try.

Wigan's Dom Manfredi and Josh Charnley were then both shown yellow cards either side of Oliver Gildart finishing from George Williams' break to put the Warriors 6-4 up.

Sam Powell then crossed to put the hosts six points clear before O'Loughlin's dismissal and Wakefield made their extra man count after half-time.

Reece Lyne and Ben Jones-Bishop both crossed to give Wakefield a deserved 18-10 advantage and only some excellent, last-ditch Wigan defending kept them in it.

But Tierney gave Warriors hope, touching down from Sam Tomkins' fine pass, and late pressure from the hosts led to Tierney's dramatic second try that snatched the victory.

Hull FC's surprise loss to bottom club Leeds Rhinos means Wigan move two points clear at the league's summit.

Wigan coach Shaun Wane: "I'm very proud of our effort and desire.

"To come up with that win was extra, extra special. It's a very proud victory, not for the club, but mainly for a junior department.

"Me and Rads (Kris Radlinski, rugby director) hugged like we have never hugged before. It meant a lot to him and to me."

Wakefield head coach Chris Chester: "There are a lot of disappointed players in the dressing room. It's heartbreaking to lose in that fashion but Wigan were very clinical.

"I know they had a lot of kids out there, but they brought plenty of energy and enthusiasm and fair play to Wigan for that.

"I thought for large parts we had the game in control, it just shows you can't afford to switch off."

Chester on Annakin's concussion after O'Loughlin's challenge: "He's not great. He couldn't come back on, he was out cold.

"It wasn't a great challenge in all honesty, but we will let the match review people look after that."

Wigan: Tomkins; Tierney, Charnley, Gildart, Manfredi; Williams, Smith; Bretherton, Powell, Flower, Isa, Sutton, O'Loughlin.

Replacements: Tautai, Shorrocks, Shelford, Davies.

Wakefield: Jowitt; Hall, Lyne, Tupou, Jones-Bishop; Miller, Finn; Fifita, Moore, Arona, Molloy, Ashurst, Sio.

Replacements: Annakin, Walker, Walton, Arundel.

Referee: James Child