Betfred Super League play-off eliminator

Wakefield (12) 26

Tries: Smoothy, Johnstone, Vagana, Faatili Goals: Jowitt 5

Leigh (6) 16

Tries: Armstrong, Lam, Senior Goals: Cook 2

Wakefield Trinity reached their first Super League semi-final with a dominant victory over Leigh Leopards.

Daryl Powell’s side will face either Leeds Rhinos or Wigan Warriors next week after a powerful display by their pack and tries from Tyson Smoothy, Tom Johnstone, Isaiah Vagana and Caius Faatili proved too much for Leigh.

The away side seemed to be back in the game as David Armstrong’s superb try cut the deficit to six points just before half-time, but Trinity controlled the second half.

Even the dismissal of Wakefield forward Emre Guler for a punch could not alter the outcome, although tries from Lachlan Lam and Innes Senior cut the deficit.

Trinity have reached the Super League play-offs four times but have not progressed to the last four before, with Leigh thwarting them last season, their first back in the top flight following promotion.

This time the result never truly looked in doubt, Max Jowitt easing nerves with an early penalty before Smoothy’s 40/20 set up field position from which he darted over from dummy half.

The excellent Wakefield pack kept Leigh on the back foot and it was no surprise when Johnstone produced a brilliant flying finish in the corner for another try, although it took a video review to overturn referee Chris Kendall’s on-field decision.

Leigh burst into life in the last few seconds of the first half with a superb team move as Lam and Owen Trout combined to send Armstrong away, but Trinity struck first in the second half as Vagana scythed through Leigh’s defence to score.

Leigh’s defensive errors were piling up and when Jack Ashworth knocked on Faatili spun his way over the line to seemingly put the game beyond the visitors.

That was called into question when Guler, who was due to join Wakefield in 2027 but arrived in England last week to join the play-off push, lost his temper and thrust his fist into Trout’s face.

Lam again swapped passes with Trout to scamper over, and for the first time the Wakefield crowd went a little quiet, but a dangerous tackle by Jack Hughes allowed Jowitt to kick a penalty for his 500th Super League point and make sure of the win.

Leigh finished with a late flourish as Senior ended a lovely passing move with a try but it was no more than a consolation by that point.

Wakefield head coach Daryl Powell told BBC Radio 5 Live:

“We got Emre sent off and it looked like it was going to be a tough challenge, but we had built up a bit of a buffer with how well we started the second half.

“They came after us and threw everything at us. That kick-try looked offside, but our boys have been class and did well to dig us out of that pressure at the end.

“At half-time I thought we had dominated the game like we did last week [against Leigh] but the scoreline didn’t reflect it.

“We probably should have nailed a couple more pieces of play, but the players were really calm at half-time and we talked about if we got in good attacking positions and were a little more clinical we felt like we could put the game away.

“We did that until Emre gets a red, but I just don’t think it’s a red. I don’t see why [referee Chris Kendall] is so twitchy on that. He refereed the game well in a tense environment. Jazz [Tevaga] gets dropped on his head and that’s way more dangerous.”

Wakefield: Jowitt; Walmsley, Scott, Hall, Johnstone; Trueman, Lino; Tevaga, Vagana, McMeeken, Rodwell, Smoothy, Guler.

Interchanges: Pitts, Hamlin-Uele, Faatili, Lipowicz.

Sent off: Guler (60).

Leigh: Armstrong; Senior, Badrock, Hanley, Charnley; Cook, Lam; Ofahengaue, Horne, Trout, Alick-Wienke, Hughes, Liu.

Interchanges: Brogan, Davis, Ashworth, Ipape.

Referee: Chris Kendall.