Leigh survive red card to beat winless Wakefield

Leigh's Ben Reynolds (number 15) was sent off for a punch on Wakefield's David Fifita (centre) in the first half

Leigh made light of Ben Reynolds' first-half red card as they coasted to victory over winless Wakefield to earn their seventh win in a row.

Reynolds was sent off for a punch on David Fifita but Trinity struggled even with their numerical advantage.

Edwin Ipape, Josh Charnley and Lam's second try sealed the win, before Max Jowitt's late consolation for Trinity.

The in-form Leopards moved up to fourth before the later Magic Weekend games with their third win over Wakefield this season, with Super League's bottom side still searching for a victory 14 games into the season.

Lam showed his quality to open the scoring, side-stepping tackles and then beating Wakefield's defence for speed to race into the corner.

Reynolds missed the conversion as Trinity's claims of obstruction before Lam's score were waved away by referee Aaron Moore.

Charnley was held up over the line after 12 minutes but Wakefield's reprieve was short-lived as Mulhern picked a great line to take a short pass and go over untouched two minutes later, with Reynolds adding the extras to give Leigh a 10-point advantage.

Wakefield received a double boost when Reynolds was shown a red card for punching Fifita after 27 minutes, before Tom Nisbet was sin-binned two minutes later for a dangerous tackle on Jay Pitts.

But even with a two-man advantage, it remained an error-strewn performance from Trinity and there was further frustration two minutes before the break when Tom Lineham passed up a golden opportunity, dropping the ball when stretching for the line as he looked certain to score.

Edwin Ipape scored early in the second half to stretch Leigh's advantage

Leigh kept Wakefield scoreless at the break and stretched their lead seven minutes into the second half with a slick move started by Lam and finished with an inside pass from Nisbet to Ipape, who motored over the line.

Zak Hardaker assumed kicking duties from the dismissed Reynolds to add the conversion, followed by a penalty to make it 18-0 after 53 minutes.

There was lengthy stoppage because of an injury to Wakefield's Jack Croft before the Leopards struck again on the hour through Charnley for his 16th try of the season.

Lam wriggled out of some tired tackles to add a fifth try with 14 minutes remaining, before Jowitt showed strength to cross late on and ensure Wakefield would at least not end without a point, despite suffering another demoralising defeat.

Wakefield: Jowitt, Lineham, Croft, Kay, Taufua, Dagger, Lino, Proctor, Hood, Bowden, Hewitt, Ashurst, Pitts.

Interchanges: Crowther, Bowes, Battye, Fifita.

Leigh: O'Brien, Briscoe, Leutele, Hardaker, Charnley, Reynolds, Lam, Amone, Ipape, Mulhern, Holmes, Nisbet, Asiata.

Interchanges: Mellor, Seumanufagai, Wilde, Davis.

Sent off: Reynolds (27).

Sin-bin: Nisbet (29).

Referee: Aaron Moore.

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