Barrett set up both Wigan's tries

Wigan: (14) 20
Tries: Goulding, Higham
Goals: Richards 6

Huddersfield: (6) 12
Tries: Wild, Nero
Goals: Thorman 2

Wigan ended their recent miserable run and dented Huddersfield's play-off hopes with a hard-fought victory over the Giants at the JJB Stadium.

Wigan dominated in the first half with Trent Barrett setting up tries for Darrell Goulding and Mickey Higham.

Chris Nero's try after the break got the Giants back into it but then they lost captain Chris Thorman to injury.

They still had chances to win but too many careless errors allowed Pat Richards to kick Wigan to victory.

After being docked points for breaching the salary cap and losing three games on the trot, including their Challenge Cup semi-final against Catalans, Wigan were desperate to turn a corner to revive their own play-off hopes.

They certainly began fired-up and were off the mark within five minutes, with Goulding getting his hands to the ball after Mat Gardner fumbled a well-placed cross-field ball from Trent Barrett.

But Huddersfield struck straight back when Kevin Brown's pass put Stephen Wild in to score.

606: DEBATE It was a good, solid, gritty performance by Wigan BB

The Warriors enjoyed most of the pressure in the first half with Huddersfield guilty of giving away too many penalties.

Wigan's second try was also set up by Barrett, his delicate chip resulting in Higham touching down although the video referee needed a long time to decide that the Wigan player was not offside.

Huddersfield came out after the break with a new-found sense of purpose and Richards did well to get Gardner into touch after the Giants' wing had sprinted clear.

But a breakthrough seemed inevitable and Nero escaped the Wigan defence after Goulding's careless knock-on to give Huddersfield the try that their pressure deserved.

However, Thorman then went off with an abdominal injury and without their skipper, Huddersfield seemed to lose their way.

The Giants could still have won but nervy ball-handling at key moments cost them dear and Wigan were able to edge ahead thanks to a succession of penalties from Richards who kicked six out of six to reach the 100 mark for the season.

The writing was on the wall when Wild was sin-binned for a late challenge on Barrett.

Wigan are now just one point behind Huddersfield in the Super League table.

"I'm pleased for the players because it's not been the best few weeks of their lives.

"Sometimes you have to win scruffy to get back on track. We've now given ourselves an opportunity to kick on.

"It was tense and nervous at times and that can stop you playing so I'm delighted for the players."

"It was certainly a physical game and both sides were really aggressive. There was no quarter asked or given.

"I'm proud of the players and the way we played.

"Defensively I felt we were magnificent and when we did get a little bit of field position, we created some opportunities but unfortunately our completion rates hurt us."

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

Huddersfield: Thorman, Jensen, Nero, Elford, Gardner, Brown, Paul, Mason, Hudson, Griffin, Lolesi, Raleigh, Wild.
Replacements: Crabtree, Skandalis, Jones, Hemingway.