Rugby League: Wright brings Trinity's first win

Wakefield Trinity. .17

Leeds. . . . . . . .16

A DROP goal in the last minute from Nigel Wright gave the Yorkshire Cup winners, Wakefield Trinity, their first Stones Bitter Championship victory of the season over a Leeds side who played almost three-quarters of last night's match with 12 men.

The dismissal of Morvin Edwards cost Leeds dearly after they had seemed to be on their way to a first away win of the campaign, largely thanks to the inspiration of Andy Gregory. Gregory took only three minutes to signal his return from a six-week lay-off for knee surgery by creating a Leeds try. His trademark long pass picked out Carl Gibson and it was a relatively simple matter to put Vince Fawcett in at the corner.

Gregory's other contributions to the early scoring were less impressive as his offences in the tackle allowed Peter Benson to kick two penalties. Leeds were to suffer further for their indiscipline when the New Zealand Test player, Edwards, was sent off for a high tackle on David Jones.

But in the two minutes before half-time, Leeds made light of that handicap, first when Gregory sent Gary Mercer in at the corner for his first try for the club and when Andy Goodway intercepted from Geoff Bagnall's loose pass.

Wakefield struggled to make their one-man advantage tell after the break. However, the promptings of the inventive Gregory looked likely to produce a try for Leeds.

The picture changed after 57 minutes when good work by Bagnall and Gary Price let Gary Spencer give a scoring pass to Wright. Benson's goal from wide out reduced the gap to six points.

Fawcett caught Andy Wilson when an equalising score looked certain. But, after James Lowes was penalised for a late challenge on Bagnall, Darren Fritz battled his way over from a Billy Conway pass, Benson's goal tying up the score.

When Bagnall missed a drop- goal attempt two minutes from time it seemed Wakefield's chance had gone, but Wright had the final word.

Wakefield Trinity: Spencer; Jones, Mason (Goddard, 27), Benson, Wilson; Wright, Bagnall; Webster (B Conway, 40), Bell, Glancy (Webster, 62), Price, Fritz, Slater.

Leeds: Gallagher; Fawcett, Gibson, Edwards, Fallon; Innes, Gregory; Molloy, Lowes; Wane, Mercer, Dixon (O'Neil, 50), Goodway.

Referee: C Morris (Huddersfield).

Reilly's reshuffle for

World Cup final, page 36