Wigan 42-22 Catalans: Eight-try rout for Warriors

Wigan 42-22 Catalans Dragons: Match stats

Wigan tries: Davies (14,17), Burgess (20,63), Forsyth (42,60), Marshall (68), Williams (79)
Penalties/Conversions: Escare (14,20), Powell (63,68,79) 

Catalans tries: Yaha (27), Gigot (35), Anderson (38,47)
Penalties/Conversions: Walsh (35,38,47) 

Joe Burgess, Liam Forsyth and Tom Davies scored two tries apiece as Wigan were pushed all the way by Catalans Dragons to record their third successive Betfred Super League win.

The Warriors were the better team in the opening 40 minutes and led 16-0 at one stage in the contest, which finished in a 42-22 home success. Davies went over twice with Burgess adding another.

Fouad Yaha got the Dragons on the board with a try in the corner, before two towering bombs caused havoc in the Wigan ranks and Tony Gigot and Louis Anderson both scored to level it 16-16 at half-time.

However, Forsyth went over twice in the second half, and further tries from Burgess, Liam Marshall and Liam Farrell saw off a determined Dragons outfit, who will be kicking themselves for a slow start.

Wigan should have scored on their first attack of the game when Burgess broke clear and it looked like Marshall would continue his fine scoring record until he was brought down by Yaha five metres from the line.

A knock on from Frank-Paul Nu'uausala in his own half put Wigan on the back foot, but seconds later an error from the Dragons saw Thomas Leuluai pick up a loose ball and send Davies racing 90m to touch down. Escare converted.

Ben Flower then picked up a loose ball and sent Forsyth clear, who fed Davies - and the winger again showed his speed by racing away for his second. Escare was unable to convert.

George Williams then ran across the line to send an inside ball for Burgess to crash over for he Wigan's third try in six minutes. Escare converted to make it 16-0.

However, the Dragons refused to lie down. Luke Walsh was thwarted on the right by a fine tackle from Williams and moments later Yaha was awarded a try after he expertly touched down following a kick to the corner. Walsh failed to add the extras.

Five minutes before the break a Escare dropped a Walsh bomb - allowed Gigot to cross, before another towering kick, this time from Richie Myler, saw Anderson force his way over. Walsh converted both to level things up.

Wigan started the second half on the front foot with Forsyth touching down in the corner after Gigot was unable to defuse a Leuluai bomb. Escare failed to convert.

Three successive penalties saw the Dragons camp on Wigan's line and they took the lead for the first time as Anderson stormed on to a lovely delayed pass from Myler to crash over. Walsh added the extras and the visitors led 22-20.

Shortly after Leuluai left the field for Wigan with a suspected broken jaw - before back-to-back penalties put Wigan in a good attacking position and they took full advantage as Forsyth picked up a loose ball and showed some fancy footwork before going over. Escare again missed but Wigan led 24-22 heading into the final 20 minutes.

As in the first half, Wigan scored tries in quick succession as Williams broke the line and raced away before offloading to the supporting Burgess for his second. Sam Powell took over kicking duties and made it 30-22.

Wigan made sure the points were theirs with 13 minutes remaining when Escare created an overlap to send Marshall over. Powell added the extras and Farrell then put gloss on the success when he went over in the dying seconds.

Wigan assistant John Winder on a fine second half: "I though in the first half we were just a bit slack with the ball.

"Our completion rate was around 50% at half time, so we just turned over too much cheap ball. They are too good a side to do that to and they took some chances on last play and came up with some points.

"Going in at 16-16 we were really disappointed, but in the second half we controlled the ball a lot better, probably simplified it a bit and played more direct and got the result."

On Thomas Leuluai's jaw injury: "He is being assessed with the doctor. I've not got anything crystal on that. 

"Losing Tommy, he's an influential player, makes us reshuffle, but fortunately we have a player of the calibre of Sean O'Loughlin who can slot in the halves. Tommy will get assessed properly now and we'll know more (Monday)."

Catalans coach Laurent Frayssinous on his side's slow start: "In effect it was the start that did us. The errors we made with the ball cost us because we had to defend a lot. Our errors with the ball in the first half cost us and so did our defence in the second. We know what we need to work on."