Waterhead Warriors emerged victorious in Wigan at the end of a competitive midweek game from the Impact Performance National Conference Division Two that was played in damp conditions on Thursday evening.
The hosts made a perfect start with their cover defence tackling Mason Young into touch when the Waterhead wing prospect appeared set to score, then at the other end a good break from Reece Stanton was supported by Reece Matthews and he scored in the corner. Danny Fallon couldn't convert.
Waterhead responded when Danny Bridge rolled the ball across his chest and sped through as the gap opened to finish from twenty metres allowing Ciaron Dean to nudge his side in front with the first of six goals.
Despite the rainy conditions, it was Waterhead that played a bit of razzle dazzle rugby league for their second try when Gareth Owen fired an excellent pass right to Matthew Holland and the centre zoomed over for a try. He then took exception to a foul from Callum Silcock and the pair were sin-binned before Dean tagged on the conversion and resulting penalty. The eight-point swing made it 14-4 to the visitors and despite the sides trading drop-outs, it was Waterhead that finished the first half strongest.
After winning possession back from the restart, Waterhead launched an attack and Owen scooted clear of a despairing tackle for Dean to goal. That made it 20-4 before Wigan St Judes rallied, having much the better of the next twenty minutes before Silcock cleverly chipped forward and chased through to touch down. Danny Fallon converted.
The hosts seemed well placed heading into the last ten minutes before Jacob Dugdale was sin-binned for a tip-tackle on Isaac Pomfrey. Judes compounded this with a further penalty and Ciaron Dean settled any nerves with the resulting goal to move Waterhead twelve points clear, and they extended their advantage when a brilliant Young offload was touched down by the supporting Holland for his second try out wide.
Conner Parkinson scored a wonderful consolation try from a scrum, racing forty metres, with Fallon nudging over his second goal but there was still enough time remaining for Bridge to secure a man-of-the-match performance, going route one, by the posts for his second try and Dean completed his five-goal haul to ensure a 32-16 success for Waterhead.
