Wigan (6) 6
Tries: Barrett
Goals: Richards

Wakefield climbed into the Super League play-offs with a convincing six-try defeat of Wigan on Sunday.

Wigan took the lead through Trent Barrett's try, but they failed to trouble the scorers again in a hugely disappointing performance.

Jason Demetriou, Ben Jeffries, Matt Blaymire and Peter Fox all went over to give Wakefield a 22-6 half-time lead.

Barrett's 70th-minute sin-binning ended Wigan's hopes, as Jeffries and Richard Moore both added late Wakefield tries.

Wigan went into the match on the back of two wins, and they made much the better start against a Wakefield side who put the kick-off out on the full.

After Pat Richards had a score ruled out for a debatable knock-on, Wigan grabbed the lead when Bryan Fletcher's skilful offload put Barrett over.

Richards converted for a 6-0 lead, but it proved to be a false dawn for the Warriors as Wakefield swiftly seized control of the match.

Demetriou showed his class by rounding David Vaealiki for Wakefield's first on 10 minutes, and the centre almost created another soon after only for Mark Calderwood to deny Sam Obst.

In a matter of seconds, though, Fletcher knocked-on to hand a simple score to Jeffries under the posts.

Demetriou was in a rich vein of form, and he made another break to hand the next score to Blaymire.

Barrett's sin-binning added to Wigan's problems

Ryan Atkins went close for the home side, but the last score before half-time went to Fox after Sean Gleeson's pass exposed some lax Wigan defence.

Wigan did at least show a renewed sense of purpose at the start of the second half, but they lacked a cutting edge in attack.

Barrett's yellow card, for a high tackle on Adam Watene, put paid to any hopes of a fightback and Wakefield took advantage almost immediately.

Atkins went through almost non-existent defence to set up Jeffries for his second try, and a humiliating final score came when prop Moore galloped in from the halfway line.

The Wildcats' win moves them up to sixth place in the table, one point behind Harlequins, while Wigan remain in fourth place.

"He's a leader - when you're faced with adversity, you need to stand up and Jason certainly did.

"There were some big efforts out there because Wigan are a very good team.

"I've been telling the players all week that Trent Barrett is the best player in Super League - and a few of them wanted to prove me wrong."

"We're disappointed with ourselves. I thought we were out-enthused. �

"We need a check-up in relation to our attitude, and we didn't control the ball very well. There were a few people out there taking shortcuts. �

"There was a little bit of endeavour from some and less than a little bit of endeavour from some and we need to find out the ones that want to be here.

"When they see the pictures, they're not going to be wholly impressed with themselves.

"There were a few people out there taking shortcuts. Rugby league is a very brutal game. If you take shortcuts at any level at any time, you'll get found out. We got found out today."

Wakefield: Gleeson, Fox, Demetriou, Atkins, White, Blaymire, Jeffries, Watene, Obst, Bibey, Elima, MacGillivray, Ferres.
Replacements: Sculthorpe, Catic, Latu, Moore.

Wigan: Ashton, Calderwood, Vaealiki, Bailey, Richards, Barrett, Leuluai, Fielden, Higham, Paleaaesina, Hock, Fletcher, O'Loughlin.
Replacements: Millard, Prescott, Hansen, Tomkins.

Referee: R Silverwood (Dewsbury)