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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 procedure of revenge for their removal by Leigh in last season's play-offs as the Leopards' bad start to the Super League project continued.
Leigh, who finished third last season, scored two late shots to provide a tight scoreline however a fourth defeat in five ways they stay 2nd from bottom.
They have been hit 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 failure at the DIY Kitchens Stadium with their indiscipline.
A second-half sin-binning for Jack Hughes after they had yielded a stream of first-half charges gave Trinity an upper hand.
Wakefield led 8-4 at the break. Loose forward Jazz Tevaga provided the lead with his first shot for the club in the 11th minute, with some late footwork taking the excellent Samoan outside Isaac Liu near to the Leigh line to discuss.
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 released himself in at the right-hand corner after some great defence from Innes Senior.
But after Caius Faatili spilled ownership in a take on by Liam Horne from the kick-off, Leigh punished Trinity with full-back Gareth O'Brien forcing his way over for the try to keep them in touch.
Myers extended Wakefield's lead within two minutes of the 2nd half beginning, as O'Brien failed to deal with Tyson Smoothy's chip through and provided the try to the winger after Faatili's farming kick on the last tackle had caused 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 after that Senior in the corner.
Leigh also had a shot from Frankie Halton ruled out 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, showed crucial as Wakefield made the many of the additional 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 disappointed completing a resurgence win.
'Pretty typical performance' - response
Wakefield boss Daryl Powell told BBC Radio Leeds:
"2 points is 2 points however I thought it was a lovely average efficiency. We were so negative at the start and got belted for area in the second half when our discipline was quite bad.
"Leigh were excellent, with the injuries they've got, and we didn't back up what we did recently - often that happens when you have actually had a big win.
"We can play much better than that, we need to play better than that, we need to enhance and find out some lessons from it.
"We had 33% territory in the 2nd half and their line speed and intent was a bit better than ours throughout the 80 minutes."
Leigh head coach Adrian Lam informed BBC Radio Manchester:
"There were some things that really injured us. The charge count I think was 7-1 at half-time which was just outrageous.
"It's really hard to compete when it resembles that however we hung in there. I'm happy of them for contending right to the very end.
"It was three attempts all at the end. If we kick our objectives we tie the game but it wasn't to be.
"We exist or thereabouts but a long method away - that's how it feels at the moment.
"We just had 11 gamers train this week. We're doing our finest. We just have to find a win along the way so next week ends up being truly, really important to us.
"It's effort at the minute 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