Wigan 22 Bradford Bulls 6

WEMBLEY may be just a week away but Bradford didn't ease up on the throttle last night.

They pushed Wigan to the limit but the champions showed the kind of patience coach Graeme West has been demanding to earn two vital points to go level with St Helens at the top of the table.

But they can thank Kiwi blockbuster Va'aiga Tuigamala (pictured) for unlocking the tough Yorkshiremen's defence with two storming runs which produced key tries.

Wigan led 6-0 at the interval and were finding openings difficult to come by against a well organised defence.

Up stepped the mighty Inga to blast his way through four defenders before sending young winger Andrew Craig in at the corner.

He sealed Bradford's fate with 10 minutes remaining when Henry Paul put him in the clear and the popular centre showed an amazing turn of pace to race clear before unselfishly sending substitute Craig Murdock over with his first touch of the ball.

Wigan's two other tries were down to the amazing talents of fellow Kiwi Paul. He scythed through the defence to score the only try of the first-half and produced an excellent pass which took out two defenders enabling Simon Haughton to race over. Andy Farrell banged over three goals.

The Bulls' efforts were rewarded when strong running Paul Loughlin took the ball on the burst and three defenders couldn't prevent him crashing over. Paul Cook goaled.

It was another solid display by the Riversiders with their defence again to the fore, earning them a bonus for the first time this season by keeping their opponents to under 10 points.

Shaun Edwards played his 500th appearance but didn't have the impact that he has done in many of those previous games.

"If I get another 500 like that...I don't think I could play another 500!," he admitted after the game. "It was a very physical, tough game, particularly in the first half, but we dug in deep. It was a really fast match."

Despite the win, Wigan - who do not appear to have the strength in depth they once had - have had another troubled week, with Test winger Jason Robinson not willing to play after having asked for a transfer.

Skipper Edwards added: "We are a bit thin on the ground at the moment and it's a bit disappointing that every time I pick a paper up, there's a player going. It's about time there were more positive vibes coming out."

WIGAN: Radlinski, Craig, Tuigamala, Connolly, Smyth, Paul, Edwards, Cowie, Hall, O'Connor, Quinnell, Cassidy, Farrell. Subs: Skerrett (for Cowie 16), Haughton (for Cassidy 19), Johnson (for Quinnell 26), Murdock (for Skerrett 68). Att: 9,872.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.