Wigan Warriors scored two tries in the last four minutes to maintain their 100% start to the Super League season with a dramatic victory over Salford Red Devils.
Down to 12 men after Harry Smith was sin-binned, Jake Wardle and Bevan French crossed to seal the win.
Champions Wigan had led 10-0 after Liam Marshall and Abbas Miski tries.
But the Red Devils had fought back to lead with Sam Stone and Tim Lafai tries as they chased a famous success.
Just six days earlier, Salford had won away to St Helens for the first time in 44 years, but that victory came at a price with head coach Paul Rowley forced into six changes.
But he was able to hand a debut to their new winger David Nofoaluma, a scorer of more than 100 tries in Australia’s NRL.
In an intense first half, Wigan’s defence had to be as resolute as in the victory over Penrith Panthers in the World Club Challenge nearly three weeks ago as the hosts threatened.
But they repelled all of Salford’s attacks and found a chink in the opposing defence in the last play of the half as full-back Jay Field joined the attack and his beautifully disguised grubber kick left Marshall with an easy finish in the corner.
They went over again early in the second period as successful penalties allowed them to build pressure in the Salford half, before French’s pass missed out two players and set Miski up to score.
But Marc Sneyd’s lovely little kick was touched down by Stone, before the Salford scrum-half kicked the goal to become their leading points scorer in Super League with 590, moving two clear of Steve Blakeley, whose record had stood since 2002.
And Sneyd’s left foot was central to his side scoring again, as this time he went aerial on the fifth tackle.
His huge kick could only be knocked down by Miski into the hands of Samoa centre Lafai to dive over with Sneyd converting to put Salford in front for the first time.
When Smith was shown a yellow card on 70 minutes, the Warriors were faced with trying to come back with a man less.
But Matt Peet’s side showed why they are again the team to beat this season as they forced a goal-line drop-out, from which Sneyd went short and the ball was eventually claimed by Wardle, who ran through to restore Wigan’s lead.
And in the final minute, French showed his class as he spotted a gap before diving over to ensure the Warriors’ winning run in Super League – stretching back 15 games to last July – continues.
Salford Red Devils head coach Paul Rowley told Radio Manchester:
“I can recognise it was a great game, but we put ourselves in a winning position and ultimately, we didn’t win. Credit to Wigan, they’re a great team and they played to the end.
“[Why the mistakes at the end] You play 80 minutes against the world champions and then fatigue, some battered bodies, some changes, some new faces, there were a lot of contributing factors.
“That’s sport, but there are errors made from minute one to 80, but they get more highlighted in the last few minutes.”
Wigan Warriors head coach Matt Peet told Radio Manchester:
“I thought we might get beaten when they went in front and Harry was in the bin. I could see how that game could get away from us as I thought Salford were outstanding, as I was expecting.
“A lot of the time they troubled us with the ball more than we troubled them.
“But fortunately for us, we managed to put on some pressure towards the end of the game and it paid off.”
Salford: Brierley; Nofoaluma, Macdonald, Lafai, Cross; Atkin, Sneyd; Dixon, Bourouh, Vuniyayawa, Stone, Watkins, Shorrocks.
Interchanges: Ryan, Wright, Foster, Dudson.
Wigan: Field; Miski, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall; French, Smith; Thompson, O’Neill, Byrne, Isa, Farrell, Ellis.
Interchanges: Dupree, Mago, Hill, Forber.
Sin-bin: Smith (70)
Referee: Chris Kendall.
