Last-minute drop goal sees Wigan snatch victory over Warrington

The half-back Josh Woods kicked a nerveless drop goal with seconds remaining to ensure Wigan moved four points clear of Warrington in the race for a home semi-final in the Super League play-offs.

Wigan looked on course for a slightly more comfortable victory with three minutes remaining, leading by four before Josh Charnley marked his first return to the DW Stadium as an opposition player with a try that looked as though it would share the points.

Woods held his nerve to kick Wigan back ahead by a point with what effectively proved to be the last kick – taking them another step closer to a return to the play-offs after missing out in 2017. Despite leading by eight at half-time, Wigan may have perhaps been disappointed to not be further ahead at the break and Warrington almost made them pay for their profligacy thereafter. Tries from Tom Davies and Liam Paisley either side of a Toby King try for Warrington made it 12-4 and you suspected the Wolves would have been content with the scoreline.

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However, a prolonged spell of pressure from the visitors in the second half could only produce one try – Tom Lineham’s with 20 minutes remaining. And while that made it two tries apiece, Wigan were thankful for the more accurate goal-kicking of Sam Tomkins, who converted both home tries – while Bryson Goodwin and Stefan Ratchford missed for Warrington.

Wigan’s failure to finish off Warrington set up a dramatic finale. Both sides had their opportunities to score again but it was Warrington who struck as Charnley forced his way over in the corner to level the scores.

That left Ratchford with the opportunity to win the game from the touchline but he pushed his latest, and final, attempt wide – allowing Woods to take centre-stage with seconds remaining to kick Wigan in front again. On this occasion, there would be no time for a comeback.

Meanwhile Kevin Sinfield has described the opportunity to return to Leeds as too good to resist after being appointed as their director of rugby in a radical shake-up of the reigning Super League champions’ senior management.

Leeds, who sacked Brian McDermott on Monday after his eight seasons in charge, have moved swiftly with Sinfield returning to the club where he spent his entire 19-year playing career that ended in 2015. The 37-year-old will oversee the club’s rugby operation, with the former Bradford coach James Lowes appointed as first‑team coach.

“I don’t think you get many opportunities to join the biggest club in the game,” he said. “I’m delighted to be back; the role is everything I want it to be. It’s a dream job.”