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Wakefield (8) 18
Tries: Tevaga, Myers, Pratt Goals: Jowitt 3
Leigh (4) 14
Tries: O'Brien, Charnley, Alick-Wiencke Goal: Cook
Wakefield exacted a step of revenge for their removal by Leigh in last season's play-offs as the Leopards' poor start to the Super League campaign continued.
Leigh, who finished third last season, scored two late tries to deliver a tight scoreline but a 4th defeat in five means they stay second from bottom.
They have been struck hard by early-season injuries, with head coach Adrian Lam revealing before kick-off he is down to 18 fit players, but they were architects of their own downfall at the DIY Kitchens Stadium with their indiscipline.
A second-half sin-binning for Jack Hughes after they had conceded a stream of first-half charges gave Trinity an upper hand.
Wakefield led 8-4 at the break. Loose forward Jazz Tevaga provided them the lead with his very first try for the club in the 11th minute, with some late footwork taking the remarkable Samoan outside Isaac Liu near to the Leigh line to review.
Leigh came close in the 19th minute however Tom Johnstone, making his 200th profession look, prevented stand-in centre Hughes grounding the ball over the line.
Wakefield's Jayden Myers undertook prohibited for a foot in touch as he launched himself in at the right-hand corner after some fine defence from Innes Senior.
But after Caius Faatili spilled belongings in a take on by Liam Horne from the kick-off, Leigh punished Trinity with full-back Gareth O'Brien requiring his method over for the try to keep them in touch.
Myers stretched Wakefield's lead within two minutes of the 2nd half beginning, as O'Brien stopped working to handle Tyson Smoothy's chip through and provided the try to the winger after Faatili's agricultural kick on the last deal with had actually triggered confusion in the Leigh ranks.
Brilliant defence from Max Jowitt denied first Tesi Niu, as the full-back got his body under the centre as he crossed the line, and then Senior in the corner.
Leigh likewise had a try from Frankie Halton eliminated for a knock-on by Horne on a hectic night for video referee Liam Moore.
But the loss of Hughes to the sin-bin, for a deal with off the ball just after the hour, proved essential as Wakefield made the many of the extra man with Ollie Pratt discussing in the 64th minute.
Josh Charnley pulled a try back with 10 minutes left from Adam Cook's pass - his 258th in Super League - however although Jacob Alick-Wiencke crossed with 30 seconds left, the visitors fell short of finishing a comeback win.
'Pretty typical performance' - reaction
Wakefield boss Daryl Powell informed Leeds:
"2 points is two points but I thought it was a beautiful typical efficiency. We were so unfavorable at the start and got belted for territory in the 2nd half when our discipline was pretty bad.
"Leigh were fantastic, with the injuries they have actually got, and we didn't support what we did last week - often that occurs when you have actually had a big win.
"We can play better than that, we have to play better than that, we have to enhance and learn some lessons from it.
"We had 33% area in the second half and their line speed and intent was a little bit much better than ours across the 80 minutes."
Leigh head coach Adrian Lam told BBC Radio Manchester:
"There were some things that truly injured us. The penalty count I believe was 7-1 at half-time which was simply outrageous.
"It's really tough to complete when it's like that however we hung in there. I take pride in them for competing right to the very end.
"It was 3 attempts all at the end. If we kick our objectives we tie the video game however it wasn't to be.
"We exist or thereabouts however a long way away - that's how it feels at the minute.
"We only had 11 gamers train today. We're doing our finest. We simply need to find a win along the method so next week ends up being truly, truly crucial to us.
"It's hard work at the moment but there's no need to panic."
Wakefield: Jowitt; Myers, Scott, Pratt, Johnstone; Sinfield, Trueman; McMeeken, Smoothy, Rodwell, Nikotemo, Vagana, Tevaga.
Interchanges: Storton, Pitts, Hamlin-Eule, Faatili.
Leigh: O'Brien; Senior, Niu, Hughes, Charnley; Cook, Lam; Trout, McNamara, Mulhern, Halton, Alick-Wiencke, Liu.
Interchanges: Brogan, Brown, Davis, Horne.
Referee: Chris Kendall.
Leigh Leopards