Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Workington 16
Wigan 64
Wigan moved back to within two points of St Helens at the top of Super League with a predictably comprehensive victory. The improvised state of Workington Town was summed up by the sight of a bucket collection in the car park to buy new players and even the most optimistic at the club admit that survival in Super League is a secondary consideration behind surviving at all.
It was not to be expected, therefore, that the bottom team in the table would seriously inconvience a Wigan side fitting them in on a spare Saturday between appointments at Twickenham.
True to form, Town did not provide any real resistance until it was too late, effectively losing the match in the first 20 minutes by conceding as many points and then engaging in a damage limitation exercise for the rest of the match.
Some crass defensive mistakes contributed to Wigan's opening flurry of tries from Andy Farrell, Andrew Craig and Jason Robinson, even if the first two contained a hint of a forward pass. Workington succeeded in slowing down the scoring rate to some extent, limiting Wigan to further tries from Martin Hall and Shaun Edwards before half-time and even hitting back with a score of their own when strong work by Colin Armstrong created a chance for Leigh Smith in the corner.
Farrell got Wigan moving in the second half with a second try to bolster his tally of eight goals but more determined forward play from that reliable workhorse Armstrong produced a second Workington try for Stephen Holgate. Armstrong continued to typify Town's real fighting spirit, and it was his run that established the position from which John Allen went over.
Craig Murdock marked his return to the Cumbrian coast by being next for Wigan, followed by Va'aigaTuigamala, grabbing his second, and another for Robinson. There is the spirit at Workington to give them a future, but this illustrated how much they must improve - possibly through amalgamation with the other Cumbrian clubs - if that future is to be in Super League.
Workington Town: Campbell, Wallace, Fraisse, Allen, Smith, Kitchin, Marwood, Armstrong, Bethwaite, Phillips, Palmada, Holgate, Nairn. Subs used: Burns, Penrice, Carter, Filipo.
Wigan: Radlinski, Smyth, Tuigamala, Craig, Offiah, Robinson, Edwards, O'Connor, Hall, Cassidy, Haughton, Farrell, Paul. Subs used: Murdock, Baines, Johnson, Tatupu.
Referee: R Smith (Castleford).
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments