When Henry Paul played the game of his life for us against Wigan at Central Park in a cold midweek match in about 1995 when we won 26-12 I think.... I was only about 10 but can remember it like yesterday!

Wigan signed him off the back of that performance!

Found the report from that match, good memories..........

Thursday, 17 February 1994

Wigan. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13

Wakefield Trinity. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20

WIGAN discovered that they cannot always get away with flirting with disaster when their single-point escape in the Challenge Cup at Hull was followed last night by their first home defeat in the league for more than 13 months. It was a defeat that gives Warrington and Bradford new hope at the top of the division as well as continuing Wakefield's climb away from the foot.

Wigan, with a high proportion of reserves, took the lead when Sam Panapa ran on to Ian Gildart's pass to touch down, but Trinity hit back back. Lee Hanlan and the former Wigan player, Mike Forshaw, combining to send in Gary Spencer.

Wigan regained the lead after a spell of pressure that saw David Hobbs dispatched to the sin bin for pulling back Martin Offiah. Va'aiga Tuigamala, in his first home game, played a part in the fightback, being stopped just short of the try- line for Paul Atcheson to sneak in and finish the job.

Wakefield's reply exposed some very ragged edges in Wigan's game, Henry Paul continuing to add goals as the lead changed. His superlative tackle on Offiah was a key moment as Trinity clung on to a lead going into the final quarter.

Wigan's anxiety showed in Wright's decision to narrow the gap with a drop goal and an attempt by Mick Cassidy that went wide. Wigan's increasingly frenetic attempts to cross the tryline were all repulsed until Wakefield clinched the match with an elegant solo try by Paul in the last minute.

Wigan: Atcheson; Tuigamala, Mather, Connolly, Offiah; Wright, Edwards; Gildart, Dermott (Haughton, 31; Dermott 67), Cassidy, Farrell, McGinty, Panapa.

Wakefield Trinity: Paul; Christie (Knighton, 70), Mason, Flynn, Wilson; Spencer, Hanlan; Hobbs, Fuller, Marlow, Durham (Goddard, 57), Bell, Forshaw.

Referee: R Whitfield (Widnes).

The match report sadly doesn't include the bleating of the Wiagn coach about the spoiling tactics we supposedly employed that night.

True though, we did spoil it for the home fans who thought it was their right to pay money and watch their team win.



Didn't happen often in those days.

When Billy Boston went over in the corner in;

1;Near pitch darkness (we had the trainng lights on)
2;With a winter fog descending.
3;With at least 3 players hanging onto him for the last 10 yards
4;It was the last minute and it cost us the game.
5;Everyone in the stand complaining (being conservative there) it was never a try even though we could'nt even see to the corner.

Quite weird the memory isn't it.
Although just a young kid I can still see it as plain as day and in tecnicolor too!!!

:1238ck79Wigan, with a high proportion of reserves, :1238ck79took the lead when Sam Panapa ran on to Ian Gildart's pass to touch down, but Trinity hit back back. Lee Hanlan and the former Wigan player, Mike Forshaw, combining to send in Gary Spencer.

.

Wigan: :1238ck79Atcheson; Tuigamala, Mather, Connolly, Offiah:1238ck79; Wright, :1238ck79Edwards;:1238ck79 Gildart, :1238ck79Dermott (:1238ck79Haughton, 31; Dermott 67), :1238ck79Cassidy, Farrell, McGinty, Panapa:1238ck79.

Wakefield Trinity: Paul; Christie (Knighton, 70), Mason, Flynn, Wilson; Spencer, Hanlan; Hobbs, Fuller, Marlow, Durham (Goddard, 57), Bell, Forshaw.

Referee

Reserves!!!!!, the cheeky get, most of em were internationals.

And we had all our first team playing! NOT!