Super League: Wigan Warriors 16-12 Huddersfield Giants - Warriors grind out tough win

Mitch Clark touches down for a try that eased Wigan's worries in the second half

Wigan Warriors edged Huddersfield Giants for a first win in six games, in a bruising encounter at the DW Stadium.

Giants raced ahead thanks to tries from Chris McQueen and Leroy Cudjoe but Liam Marshall scored just before half-time to drag Wigan into the game.

Mitch Clark forced his way over and Harry Smith finished off a Liam Farrell break to put Warriors in front for the first time in the game.

Huddersfield almost produced a shock but a forward pass denied Louis Senior.

The win relieves some pressure on Adrian Lam and Wigan but it took a second-half fightback to secure it after a patched-up Huddersfield made a flying start.

Giants back-rower McQueen thundered through after Wigan had tossed away possession, and there was controversy as Sam Powell was injured in backplay when the visitors got their second after Cudjoe collected an Oliver Ashall-Bott pass to streak in.

Marshall tracked a superb angled grubber kick in behind by half-back Smith - who showed some quality and telling touches - to put Wigan on the board before half-time.

Huddersfield, who were in wait for a win themselves, dominated the ruck in the opening 40, but fatigue seemed to affect their pack as the game turned.

The Cherry and Whites had struggled to punch holes in the Giants line and it took pressure to build for them to get the two second-half scores.

Clark rumbled over from a flowing move across the line to set anxiety among the Huddersfield defence, and then Smith raced in following a left-edge burst from Farrell to finally take the lead.

Both sides will have nervous waits on players, with Powell and Ashall-Bott taken off with head knocks in a season already packed with injury issues.

Wigan head coach Adrian Lam:

"It was frustrating at the start. We started well, then the first two times they had the ball they scored two tries, and I thought 'here we go again'.

"We tried to stay positive through it all, and in the end I am very pleased for the players to show that character and come back and hang on for the win."

Huddersfield head coach Ian Watson:

"I thought they were very brave. I thought they were outstanding at certain parts of the first half. We withstood a huge storm in the first 14 minutes, then we came away and posted points which massively helped us.

"The turning point in that first half was probably the drop goal attempt. They went down the other end and scored a try just before half-time. That gave them a bit of a leg up.

"It was the right thing to try and do, but we probably could have kept the pressure on and played the game down there. We worked really hard for each other."

Wigan: Hastings; Marshall, Gildart, Bibby, Hanley; Leuluai, Smith; Singleton, Powell, Bullock, Farrell, Pearce-Paul, Clubb

Interchanges: Byrne, Clark, Shorrocks, O'Neill

Huddersfield: Golding; Senior, Jake Wardle, Cudjoe, Ashall-Bott; Wood, Russell; Yates, Peats, Gavet, Jones, McQueen, Greenwood

Interchanges: Hewitt, Peteru, Stevens, Pryce

Referee: Marcus Griffiths

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