P - Wigan have bounced back from their embarrassing loss to NRL club Brisbane to go top of the Super League with a controversial 20-16 win over Salford.
The hosts put their 42-12 hiding in last weekend's World Club Series against the Broncos behind them as they scraped home against Salford, thanks largely to a refereeing blunder.
Wigan coach Shaun Wane was delighted with a third straight Super League win from side after backing from the clash with the Queensland side.
"We showed some toughness," said Wane.
"We were dumb with the ball and there were some poor skill errors but I put a bit of that down to fatigue.
Salford coach Ian Watson was left to rue the refereeing error that cost his side the chance of a historic result.
The Red Devils, who have lost all 19 matches with the Warriors at the DW Stadium, had fought their way back from 16-2 down to draw level thanks to three tries in a 17-minute spell only to concede four minutes from the end.
Referee George Stokes and his touch judges failed to spot a knock-on by Wigan forward Taulima Tautai in the build-up to the match-winning try by winger Dom Manfredi.
"I'm really disappointed with the way it ended because it looked like we should have had a share of the points," Watson said.
"The fact he knocked on at the last play-the-ball before the score doesn't help and the fact that we could see it in the stand and the referee and his officials can't is a big disappointment."
At the KC Stadium, Denny Solomona scored a hat-trick as Castleford maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a thrilling 31-24 win over Hull FC.
Share
