Rookie Eckersley earns Wigan derby win over Saints

Betfred Super League

Wigan (6) 16

Tries: Wardle, Keighran, Eckersley Goals: Smith (2)

St Helens (6) 12

Tries: Welsby, Blake Goals: Percival (2)

Rookie full-back Zach Eckersley scored the winning try as Wigan extended their lead at the top of Super League in a ferocious encounter with St Helens.

The 20-year-old stepped into the key role with Warriors’ reigning Man of Steel Bevan French ruled out for several weeks before the game with a hamstring injury.

Saints, going into the derby clash on the back of two successive defeats, twice led as Jack Welsby and Waqa Blake went over, but tries from Jake Wardle and Adam Keighran restored parity.

Eckersley's try with 12 minutes left means that Wigan go four points clear with a game in hand on second-placed Warrington, while Saints could drop to as low as fifth by the end of the weekend.

Warriors fans were left reeling by the loss of French before the game and, with Jai Field also out through injury, coach Matt Peet put his faith in Eckersley, whose five starts this season have all come as centre or wing.

Both sides were decimated by injury, and Saints had an even more inexperienced player at full-back, handing a debut to 18-year-old prospect Harry Robertson.

But the teenager had a superb game, twice showing excellent field position and then holding up a rampaging Keighran as Wigan sought to capitalise on Matty Lees’ first-minute sin-binning for a high tackle on Kaide Ellis.

Wigan celebrate Zach Eckersley's decisive try against St Helens

Nerveless kicking sets up fantastic finale

Robertson then showed his attacking prowess as well, supporting Curtis Sironen's break and then delaying his pass perfectly to send Welsby between the posts.

His opposite number then took centre stage, Eckersley leaving Jonny Lomax grasping at air as he sprinted clear and then passed back inside for Wardle to score.

With Mark Percival and Harry Smith both having no difficulty with the conversions, the sides went in at half-time level.

Sironen again burst the game wide open with a powerful burst for the line that sucked in five defenders. He brilliantly offloaded to Lomax, who quickly fed Blake for a try in the corner which Percival nervelessly converted.

Wigan reacted like champions, charging forward from the restart to force Ben Davies into touch deep in his own half and, as they piled on the pressure, a sharp set of hands provided Keighran with the try in the corner, with Smith showing he can also kick under severe pressure to make it 12-12.

That set up Eckersley for his big moment, and he did not disappoint, timing his run into the attacking line to perfection and throwing a feint before going over to avenge Warriors' defeat in March's first fixture between the sides.

Wigan head coach Matt Peet:

"Bevan pulled up in the last five minutes of our final session. It's a grade two hamstring, so if it's less than eight weeks, I'll be surprised.

"But maybe it's a way of giving him a rest and having him back for the rest of the year. We'll learn a lot about ourselves playing without Bevan and Brad O’Neill and Kruise Leeming.

"The fundamentals of how to win a game aren't about star players, they're about culture. He had not practised there so it’s credit to Zach for being confident and level-headed. It was a big night for him and he stood up and looked really assured.

“I thought both teams just delivered as they always do – senior players, young players. There's a lot of people – players, coaches on the pathway – who will have been watching tonight and should be really proud."

Saints head coach Paul Wellens:

"Obviously the lads are disappointed that they've lost a game, but in terms of the mental attitude and how you approach big games, I thought we got everything we needed from the group today.

"A lot of us have been questioned in recent weeks and I think that was the perfect answer tonight in terms of how committed these players are to make this club successful.

"These games are always settled by fine margins but nobody who saw that tonight will question anybody's effort and that should be a blueprint for moving forward. We reconnected with who we are tonight."

Wigan: Eckersley, Miski, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall, Farrimond, Smith, Havard, Thompson, Dupree, Nsemba, Farrell, Ellis.

Interchanges: Byne, Mago, Hill, Walters.

St Helens: Robertson, Ritson, Percival, Davies, Blake, Welsby, Lomax, Delaney, Clark, Lees, Sironen, Bell, Paasi

Interchanges: Royle, Burns, Vaughan, Stephens

Referee: Liam Moore.