With third against bottom the pundits and the bookies believed that there was only one possible outcome as the Warriors welcomed an embattled Huddersfield Giants to the DW Stadium. Despite last weekends win over table topping Warrington Wolves, those who travelled from West Yorkshire were debating how many their side would lose by, rather than the chance that they'd pick up a crucial two points which would lift them above both Hull KR and the Leeds Rhinos into tenth.

When the sides met in Round 2 of Super League XXI it was the Warriors who edged to a narrow 18-13 victory in a close game which gave little indication of the way that the fortunes of the two sides would diverge over the coming weeks.

Both sides came into the game without a number of their regular starting stars but the Warriors were still strong favourites with the bookies and a win of any description would see them into top spot ahead of the rest of the weekends fixtures.

After good early pressure the Warriors opened the scoring on five minutes after Josh Charnley offloaded in the tackle allowing Anthony Gelling to dribble the ball over the line and ground one handed. Matty Smith hit the target with his conversion for 6-0.

The Giants were back on terms when full-back Ryan Brierley took a Leroy Cudjoe pass thirty metres from the sticks to cross unopposed to ground beneath the sticks and give Danny Brough a simple conversion to level the scores.

Josh Charney put in a try-saving tackle on nineteen to deny the Giants but on thirty-two the visitors hit the front with a brilliant try crafted by Danny Brough who put in a reverse kick for Ryan Brierley to pick up the ball just short of the line and dive over. Brough again added the extras and Wigan knew they were in a game.

A Danny Brough attempted drop goal on the half-time hooter but was denied by the cross bar. There could be little argument, even from the diehard Wigan fans, that the Giants defence and enterprise deserved their half time lead.

Nick Gregson had the chance to level the scores for Wigan on fifty-one but his hand slipped off the ball as he stretched to ground, but traffic was increasingly busier in the Giants defence.

On fifty-seven and within seconds of being put on a team warning Nathan Mason was sin-binned for the Giants after a high tackle and on the next play John Bateman went from acting half back to dive over from two metres away to score. A Smith conversion made it 12-12 and now it was Wigan who were in the ascendancy.

Two minutes later and another breakaway try for the Giants as the ball was moved right and into the hands of Ryan Brierley for his hat-trick, as he rounded the Wigan defence and improved the angle for the kick. Brough added the extras and edged his side back six points ahead, somewhat against the run of play.

Twelve minutes from time, and after intense Warriors pressure, Matty Smith crashed over the line on the last tackle and added the extras to again level the score in what was turning into a scintillating match which was either sides for the winning as the game entered its last ten minutes.

On seventy, Matty Smith kicked a thirty metre drop goal to edge his side one point ahead and when, within a minute, Aaron Murphy was sin-binned for a professional foul for holding Gelling down in the tackle after a break, it looked like the game was Wigan's to lose.

On seventy-four Danny Brough landed a drop goal from twenty out to again tie the scores up, this time at 19-19.

Two minutes from time and Wigan set up Matty Smith for his second drop goal of the night, to again edge his side in front. But a minute later and the game was won by Wigan when Dan Sarginson was in support of a Charnley break to be on hand to take the pass and scamper over by the sticks. Smith added the extras for a seven point Warriors win by 26-19.

The Warriors had to fight every minute of the game for a win against a gutsy Giants whose performance belied their lowly league position. Ultimately the two ten minute periods down to twelve men cost Huddersfield dear and they will be left dwelling on their indiscipline. Wigan go top of Super League while the Giants stay rooted to the bottom.

Warriors: Sarginson (T), Charnley, Gelling (T), Gildart, Tierney, Gregson, Smith (T, 4G, 2DG), Mossop, Powell, Flower, Bateman (T), Isa, Sutton. Subs: Clubb, Burke, Tautai, Wells.

Giants: Brierley (3T), McGillvary, Cudjoe, Connor, Murphy (SB), Brough (3G, DG), Wood, Johnson, Hinchcliffe, Huby, Ta'ai, Wardle, Lawrence. Subs: Rapira, Leeming, Mason (SB), Roberts.

Referee: Joe Cobb

Attendance: 10,914