LIAM TREBLE BIG TROUBLE
Marshall piles on agony for hapless Rhinos
Wigan 46 Leeds 8 LIAM MARSHALL’S hattrick heaped more misery on faltering Leeds to put their top-eight place under serious threat.
The Wigan winger (right) touched down twice in the space of four firsthalf minutes to flatten a promising Rhinos start before completing the scoring late on.
Brian McDermott’s injury-hit side have now lost their last seven Super League matches – and nine of their last 10 – and are looking over their shoulders at the bottom four.
Chasing Catalans and Huddersfield are in far better form, and wins for both would put the champions in a Qualifiers place this weekend.
Leeds successfully preserved their top-flight status in that competition two years ago, but this is becoming an alarming slide for a side that lifted the title at Old Trafford just eight months ago.
Wigan, in contrast, looked sharp and assured, particularly young stand-off Josh Woods who scored one try and made another. Leeds opened the scoring when Brett Ferres capitalised on a mix-up between John Bateman and Sam Tomkins, but that was as good as it got for the Rhinos. By half-time McDermott’s side were 22-4 down, with left-winger Marshall helping himself to a well-taken brace.
The first was a diving finish from Woods’ smart pass, with the second a more straight-forward effort after good hands from Liam Farrell and Oliver Gildart. Two Tomkins conversions and penalties gave Wigan a 12-point lead and that was extended further when Woods himself took the line on just after the half-hour.
The visitors started the second half brightly as well with Luke Briscoe having a try ruled out by the video referee.
But any hopes of an unlikely comeback were ended by Farrell.
The returning back-rower broke through 40 metres out and showed terrific speed to round Ash Golding and score out wide.
Tommy Leuluai was the next Wigan players on the scoresheet after diving over from dummy half, before the Rhinos finally responded through Joel Moon.
But despite having forward Romain Navarrete sin-binned the home side still finished with a flourish through Tom Davies and Marshall again.