Wakefield Trinity 22 Wigan Warriors 23

The Warriors had appeared in the driving seat with a methodical display for more than an hour. But they faded in the last quarter and were ultimately grateful for Smith's one-pointer for securing the win.

Tries by Zak Hardaker, Bevan French and Liam Marshall had helped Wigan to a 16-6 lead at half-time, and when Jake Bibby went over after the break they looked good value for a 22-6 lead.

But tries from Tom Johnstone - a spectacular effort - and a Liam Kay double, sandwiching Smith's dropgoal, produced a thrilling finish.

After a five-month layoff, the pace was quicker and the quality better than it had any right to be.

For Wigan, young half Smith looked assured and lively following his early introduction, and Hardaker and Morgan Smithies also impressed in dispatches.

Thomas Leuluai led the side out in the absence of Sean O'Loughlin, who suffered a hamstring injury in training yesterday.

With Ben Flower, Oli Partington (suspension) and Tony Clubb (neck injury) also missing, Ethan Havard started at loose forward. On-loan Romain Navarrete played for Wakefield against his parent club.

England and ex-Warriors coach Shaun Wane was in the near-deserted North Stand as the players lined-up for a minute's silence and then paid their own respect for Black Lives Matter - including French and David Fifita kneeling together with the Aboriginal Australian flag draped over their backs.

The game began frantically, set-for-set. Wigan had the better early chances - Marshall bundling Reece Lynn into touch and a Leuluai half-break - but the boot of debutant Tony Gigot edged Trinity into a 2-0 lead.

Smith was an early replacement for Leulaui and he quickly made an impression, sending Hardaker over for a 15th minute try which he converted to put then 6-2 ahead.

They remained in control and powered further ahead in stunning fashion, French showing he had lost none of his zip in the five month inactivity, as the Aussie - moved to the wing - raced to ground Hardaker's angled kick through. The latter missed the conversion.

Wakefield improved and were twice held up by tigerish defending before Kyle Wood slipped out of Willie Isa's tackle to cross. Gigot's goal rebounded off the posts.

But Wigan restored their two-score advantage before half-time when Hastings stabbed the ball into Marshall's path, and the winger arced over. Hardaker's goal made it 16-6.

The second-half began like the first - fast-paced with a touch of needle - and after Wigan absorbed some punishment on their own line, they countered well. Centre Jake Bibby muscled his way over in the 50th minute and with Hardaker on target, they led 22-6.

For long spells the sides cancelled each other out with completed sets with few opportunities. But Tom Johnstone brought the game back to life with an acrobatic finish in the left corner - under pressure from French - which Gigot converted to reel in Wigan's lead to 10 points with 13 minutes to go.

Ex-Toronto winger Kay added another Wakefield try on the opposite wing to offer the Yorkshire side hope.

Smith calmed the nerves with a drop-goal with three minutes remaining, only for Kay to go over again to cut the margin to one point. Jacob Miller missed with a dropgoal attempt with seconds to go as Wigan claimed a victory which moved them top ahead of Leeds' match with St Helens.

Wigan: French; Manfredi, Hardaker, Bibby, Marshall; Lueluai, Hastings; Bullock, Powell, Byrne, Isa, Farrell, Havard. Subs: G Burgess, Clark, Smithies, Smith.

Wakefield: Gigot; Kay, Lyne, Tupou, Johnstone; Miller, Jowitt; Kopczak, Wood, Navarrete, Pitts, Tanginoa, Arona. Subs: Wood, Fifita, Kirmond, Tangata.

Referee: Ben Thaler