Wing Karl Pryce continued his try rampage with four as Wigan Warriors romped to victory over Crusaders RL at the Racecourse Ground.



Martin Gleeson touched down twice and Sean O'Loughlin and Pat Richards also scored tries as Wigan consolidated their position at the top of  Engage Super League. Richards kicked seven goals.



Nick Youngquest, Rhys Hanbury, Jason Chan, Michael Witt and Peter Lupton replied with tries for the Crusaders but the contest was already done and dusted, with the Warriors leading 28-4 at half-time. Witt kicked three goals.



Loose forward O'Loughlin started the onslaught inside two minutes when he latched on to a neat grubber kick into the Crusaders' goal area and just grounded before the ball went dead.



It looked as though another tough day at the office was in store for the Welshmen after they allowed Catalans Dragons a 30-point lead at half-time in the Carnegie Challenge Cup on May 9 and were then thumped 54-10 by Hull KR last Sunday.



The Crusaders’ tackling was poor while Wales rugby union legend Gareth Thomas was missing in defence on the left wing as Pryce's team-mates set him up nicely for all three of his opening-period tries in the same spot on the Crusaders winger's flank.



Pryce, who scored a hat-trick against Widnes in the Challenge Cup, had two simple run-ins after five and 10 minutes and all three early scores were converted by Richards to hand Wigan a commanding 18-0 lead.



The match was almost put out of the home team's reach when more slack tackling saw centre Gleeson roar through the midfield to touch down before scrum-half Thomas Leuluai fired off another pass to the left wing for Pryce's third.



It was sunshine rugby on a sweltering day for the thousands of Warriors fans who had made the short journey to north Wales.



Wigan were beaten by the Crusaders at their old Bridgend home 22-16 last season but were in no danger of succumbing again this time around.



The Crusaders, though, did find the spirit to breach the Warriors' defence. Wing Youngquest gave the hosts a score before half-time when he went over in the left corner.



Then, either side of a dazzling 30-yard run by Richards for the Warriors' sixth try, centre Hanbury and replacement Chan both touched down. But Pryce grabbed his fourth with another left-corner effort.



Stand-off Witt and replacement Lupton got late tries for the Crusaders but Gleeson added his second to seal a commanding win for the Warriors.