In a tempestuous opening couple of minutes, St Helens’ Jake Wingfield accused Brad O’Neill of spitting in his face, with referee Jack Smith putting the incident on report.
Soon after, Smith scored his third Super League try of the season in impressive fashion, as he wrongfooted the Saints back line to race through.
St Helens kept up the pressure in response and were rewarded after they worked wide following another set of six, feeding Whitley to touch down in the corner, but Wigan held a slender lead when Sailor missed the extras.
Wigan thought they had raced further ahead when Kaide Ellis went over, with referee Smith initially giving the try, but video referee Marcus Griffiths correctly overturned the score when replays showed that Wingfield put in a tremendous defensive effort to hold him up.
That disallowed try did not quell Wigan’s resolve however, as they added a second try to their tally in impressive fashion when Farrimond’s kick was palmed back into his path by Eckersley to send him through.
Clark showed fine strength to crash over for Saints’ second but in the second half Wigan moved into what had seemed like a comfortable 14-point lead.
Field, who has been absent for a month having undergone surgery for appendicitis, worked onto a Harry Smith kick to goal to go in for Wigan’s third try while Oliver Partington sent in Eckersley as Wigan added some daylight with 15 minutes to go.