Wakefield Trinity were looking to record their first points of the 2019 season as they welcomed sixth placed Catalans Dragons to Belle Vue for a round three encounter in front of the SKY TV cameras.
Chris Chester’s Trinity were without the services of Danny Kirmond and Craig Huby as both forwards were ruled out through injury, the Dragons coach Steve McNamara was able to call on the services of David Mead, Ben Garcia and Antoni Maria but he was without Julian Bousquet.
Wakefield had the chance, if they scored enough points, to go above the Dragons, whereas the Dragons were eying up a place in the top four.
Defences were on top in the opening fifteen minutes, despite plenty of flair and imagination in attack by both sides. Tom Johnstone broke the deadlock with a moment of acrobatic genius as he leapt for the corner flag after taking a Ryan Hampshire pass and grounding before going into touch under the pressure of two tacklers. Brough converted brilliantly from the touchline.
The Dragons were level on eighteen when Samisoni Langi coasted down the right wing off a David Mead pass to cross and then improve the angle to score close to the sticks. It was a try from nothing and when Sam Tomkins added the extras the two sides were level.
When Trinity were punished for holding down under their own posts, Tomkins kicked a simple conversion to edge the visitors into the lead on the half hour mark.
Within a minute David Fifita used enormous strength to push through four tacklers and ground the ball on his back, Wakefield back into the lead. Brough belted the conversion between the uprights for 12-8. It was becoming end to end entertainment.
A high tackle awarded against the Dragons enabled Brough to add another two on thirty-three minutes.
On thirty-five James Batchelor was on hand to touch down a Brough grunner after they shunned the chance of a penalty two. Brough was again accurate with the boot, Trinity pulling clear at 20-8 at the interval.
The first real action of the second half was a high tackle by Keegan Hirst on Jason Baitieri which saw the Trinity substitute sin-binned, his side down to twelve but they weathered the storm and kept the Dragons at bay until his return after fifty-five.
But just after Wakefield were back to a full thirteen Langi grabbed his second, grounding on the line despite the attention of two Trinity tacklers. Tomkins was unable to add the conversion, the Dragons still eight points adrift.
When there was Catalans interference at the play the ball, Brough kicked the penalty goal for 22-12 with fifteen minutes remaining.
The second sin binning of the game came on sixty-eight when Baitieri put in a late tackle and saw the yellow brandished by referee Kendall. Three minutes later the winning try was there for the taking but Tinirau Arona put the ball to ground with the line open. As the Dragons tried to retrieve the ball for a fast restart Arone interfered and was shown the yellow card.
David Mead picked up a nasty looking injury on seventy-two which delayed play for several minutes as he was stretchered from the field.
It was a subdued atmosphere for the last ten minutes, Trinity defending their ten point lead while some panic football from the Dragons saw too many errors. Wakefield took a ten point win by 22-12.
The big difference between the two sides was the Danny Brough kicking game. His open play positional kicking was pinpoint accurate and split the Dragons defence on multiple occasions. There was plenty of passion on display, if not so much finesse and deft ball handling. It was a proper blood and guts early season encounter with Trinity deserving winners. Wakefield are now up to eighth, Catalans slipping to seventh on points difference.
Trinity: Hampshire, Jones-Bishop, Lyne, Tupou, Johnstone (T), Miller, Brough (5G), Fifita (T), Wood, England, Batchelor (T), Ashurst, Arona (SB on 71). Subs: Horo, King, Kopczak, Hirst (SB on 45).
Dragons: Tomkins (2G), Mead, Langi (2T), Williame, Tierney, Gigot, Smith, Simon, McIlorum, Moa, Edwards, Whitley, Casty. Subs: Garcia, Goudemand, Maria, Baitieri (SB on 68).
Referee: Chris Kendall.
Half-Time: 20-8.
Full-Time: 22-12.
Attendance: 4,638.
