Bulldogs overcome local rivals in Lancs Cup

The Bulldogs began their Lancashire Cup campaign with a home tie against local rivals Wigan.

After years of Wigan dominance, the Bulldogs have edged ahead in the last two years winning tough home and away derbies.

The Bulldogs lined up with a healthy squad of twenty one players in tropically humid conditions.

The game began at breakneck speed with both teams turning the ball over from good field positions.

The Bulldogs almost broke the deadlock with a scrum won against the head in their own half. Will fed Henry who looked like he was going to score from 80m out before an excellent last man tackle from the visitors denied the try.

With the Bulldogs dominating the scrum, another win against the head enabled the backs to feed the ball wide for Sam to dive over in the corner after 15 mins. The touchline conversion was marginally missed.

With twenty minutes of the game gone Wigan got over the line but were held up.

In a full bloodied game, tempers began to spill over with both teams conceeding several penalties.

In the final throes of the half, an outstanding break from James Q was once again denied by a desperate goal line Wigan tackle. From the resultant field position Will dove over from the scrum to double the Bulldogs lead. The touchline kick was missed.

HT: 10-0

Wigan put themselves under immediate pressure from the kick off, which eventually resulted in a penalty from 22m out which Harrison G converted.

This time it was the Bulldogs who did exactly the same spilling the ball from the kick off in their own 30m.

After a try was disallowed for a forward pass, Wigan got on the scoreboard with a score out wide which was converted with 8 minutes of the second half played.

With Wigan failing to find touch for the third time from a penalty, the Bulldogs laid siege on the visitors line.

With 15 minutes of the half gone, Noah dove over from a scrum from close range. Noah converted his own try.

Just like the visitors, the Bulldogs made their life hard through unforced handling errors gifting the ball back.

Despite a last ditch tackle from Sammy, Wigan found their way to the line in the same position as their first try. The kick was converted.

Excellent work from Henry and Oliver D managed to keep Wigan in their own half as the clock ticked down.

With the Bulldogs lacking composure to close the game out, Wigan had a final chance in the Leigh 22m but failed to convert.

FT: 20-14