April 2009 Wigan Warriors season

the fourth round of 2009 challenge cup occupied first weekend of april, , super league clubs meant first challenge cup ties. in march, wigan learned face away tie barrow raiders, , expected match held in front of first sell-out crowd @ barrow s craven park twenty-five years. game still in balance fiftenn minutes time, barrow trailing wigan 4 points @ 20–24, following match had seen shaun ainscough hat-trick , wigan s defensive frailties exploited again. result pivoted on forward pass decision ruled out barrow try, minutes before pryce scored controversial try wigan in appeared have knocked-on, twelve minutes left play. try tomkins sealed win wigan advance them fifth round of competition.

on day after, confirmed martin gleeson transfer wigan warrington wolves, on 3 , half-year contract. signing came after warrington had left gleeson out of squad defeated york city knights in fourth round cup tie, meaning gleeson eligible play wigan in future cup games. wigan reported wigan evening post have spent gb£110,000 , given richie mathers in return gleeson. on day after gleeson s signing announced, draw challenge cup s fifth round took place. wigan received away tie wakefield trinity wildcats.

gleeson featured in first derby match of year against st helens rlfc. ainscough put home wigan side ahead after 9 minutes try on wing, following kick leuluai. richards missed conversion, , wigan went 4 points ahead before st helens replied try of own through keiron cunningham, paul wellens making conversion. hock had try disallowed double movement, , later on high tackle on paleaaesina gave roberts opportunity level scores, succeeded draw score @ 6–6 @ half time. ainscough again carved out lead wigan in second half, , roberts converted sideline. 2 quick st helens tries through matt gidley , leon pryce gave visitors 12–18 lead, , kyle eastmond drop goal sealed match them.

prior next match, barrow raiders confirmed had signed lee mossop on month-long loan.

despite providing close fight against st helens, club s visit perpignan away tie against catalans dragons ended in third consecutive loss. dragons scored first through dimitri pelo s try in second minute. wigan scored fourteen points in return, 3 tries roberts, ainscough , gleeson , 1 conversion 4–14 lead. ten-point lead proved precarious catalans ran in thirty-six unanswered points, first of them coming through greg bird try. grégory mounis scored next, , thomas bosc kicked conversion give home side lead, , jason ryles gained try before half-time. catalans fullback clint greenshields scored first after break , scored next try. ryles scored second try of own open twenty-six-point deficit. tomkins , richards gave wigan 2 late tries, match finished.

similarly mossop, darrell goulding completed transfer salford city reds on month-long loan deal. after extension deal in may, goulding recalled on 7 july cope injury crisis.

the club s next match against newly promoted crusaders, had not won match yet in super league season coming fixture. celtic led after 2 minutes, when luke dyer pounced try after phelps mistakenly let ball bounce in-goal area. richards replied try on wing, before o loughlin gathered own kick solo try present lead home wigan side. 2 more tries came wigan before half-time riddell , roberts both scoring 1 each. sam tomkins scored not long after break run palea asesina. carmont stretched lead further try of own, , o loughlin scored second try of match. damien quinn sin-binned in 100th competitive appearance crusaders—marshall chalk sin-binned later on. richards claimed second try instantly after quinn s dismissal. mark dalle cort scored late celtic try , captain jace van dijk converted, wigan had try before game ended, sam tomkins grounding second try of match—his team s ninth—to complete convincing victory home side.

transfer news occupied break between win , warriors second league match against wakefield trinity wildcats. wigan evening post reported club, leeds rhinos, interested in signing richie myler salford city reds, although neither club successful in approaches player. warrington wolves sign myler later in year. meanwhile, thomas leuluai extended contract club further 3 years.

george carmont had replaced @ short notice prior kick-off against club s next opponents, wakefield trinity wildcats. shaun ainscough recalled take place in team, , scored 4 tries give side second consecutive win. wakefield, celtic, put first points on scoreboard after damien blanch received kick danny brough try on wing, brough converting 6–0 lead. tim smith linked cameron phelps, switched fullback center in carmont s absence, wigan s first try. phelps turned provider work gave ainscough 2 tries in 9 minutes 6–16 lead, before wigan s indiscipline gave brough penalty , try following handling error stand-in fullback, pat richards. ainscough scored again on wing complete hat-trick, wakefield replied after brough intercepted pass martin gleeson , returned 45 metres second try make scores 20–22 @ half time. wakefield took lead shortly after break blanch took advantage of ainscough s weak defence second try. wakefield s last try of match, phelps gathered kick smith score try next posts richards converted successfully. riddell injured hamstring, , despite wakefield pressure, wigan scored again run sam tomkins led try ainscough—his sixteenth in ten matches. gleeson scored in final ten minutes put game beyond home side s reach.