Crusaders (4) 26
Tries: Youngquest, Hanbury, Chan, Witt, Lupton
Goals: Witt 3

Wigan (28) 46
Tries: O'Loughlin, Pryce 4, Gleeson 2, Richards
Goals: Richards 7

Karl Pryce grabbed a hat-trick as Wigan ran in five tries inside 20 minutes

Karl Pryce ran in four of Wigan's eight tries to re-establish their four-point lead at the top of Super League.

Wigan were 28-0 up in 20 minutes as Sean O'Loughlin, Pryce (three times) and Martin Gleeson all crossed.

Nick Youngquest and Rhys Hanbury scored either side of the break to keep Brian Noble's Crusaders in touch.

Jason Chan, Peter Lupton and Michael Witt tries threatened a comeback but Pryce's fourth, Gleeson's second and Pat Richards ensured Wigan's victory.

Richards, the league's leading scorer, also landed seven goals at the Racecourse Ground for an 18-point individual haul.

O'Loughlin opened the visitors account with less than two minutes gone when he latched onto a grubber kick to ground the ball inches from the dead-ball line.

Wigan winger Pryce then made hay against Welsh rugby union convert Gareth Thomas, with the first two of his four tries. And Crusaders' poor defending was at fault for Gleeson's first as the recalled centre stormed through a huge hole.

Pryce, who has only just returned after months in the rugby league wilderness, then took another easy pass off scrum-half Thomas Leuluai to race in for his third.

Former Wigan coach Noble's Welsh side were in danger of total collapse, but Youngquest gave Crusaders hope when he grounded the ball in the left corner.

Hanbury and Chan then gave the scoreboard a hint of decency either side of Richards' dazzling 30-yard run for his own converted try.

Pryce crossed into the left corner for his fourth before stand-off Witt and replacement Lupton got two more late consolation tries for Crusaders.

For his side to show enough character to come back from their terrible start and score five tries against the club who sacked him last October was some consolation for Noble.

But Gleeson added his second to seal Wigan's double over their old boss.

Wigan coach Michael Maguire said:

"We managed to get the jump on them pretty early and put ourselves in a good position so it was a great start.

"Karl Pryce did very well and got himself into position to score, but there are a lot of blokes inside him who are working very hard to allow him to do that.

"It's a win and a good position to be in. We are getting our rewards."

Crusaders coach Brian Noble said:

"You can't play this game without conviction - and that is not having a pop at the players - but if we start well, we can compete.

"We are a new team and we have only been together since January but we are still learning.

"I'm not disappointed about the second half because we competed, but we can't wait for that. The start is an issue we have to address."

Crusaders: Schifcofske, Thomas, Mellars, Hanbury, Youngquest, Witt, Sammut, O'Hara, Withers, Flower, Hauraki, Chan, Trimarchi.
Replacements: Thackray, Lupton, Bryant, Peek.

Wigan: Richards, Goulding, Gleeson, Carmont, Pryce, S Tomkins, Leuluai, Fielden, Riddell, Coley, Bailey, J Tomkins, O'Loughlin.
Replacements: McIlorum, Farrell, Davies, Paleaaesina.

Referee: Thierry Alibert (France).

Attendance: 6,075.

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