Wakefield led 8-4 at the break. Loose forward Jazz Tevaga gave them the lead with his first try for the club in the 11th minute, with some late footwork taking the impressive Samoan outside Isaac Liu close to the Leigh line to go over.
Leigh came close in the 19th minute but Tom Johnstone, making his 200th career appearance, prevented stand-in centre Hughes grounding the ball over the line.
Wakefield’s Jayden Myers had a try disallowed for a foot in touch as he launched himself in at the right-hand corner after some fine defence from Innes Senior.
But after Caius Faatili spilled possession in a tackle 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 stretched Wakefield’s lead within two minutes of the second half starting, as O’Brien failed to deal with Tyson Smoothy’s chip through and presented the try to the winger after Faatili’s agricultural 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 then Senior in the corner.
Leigh also had a try from Frankie Halton ruled out for a knock-on by Horne on a busy night for video referee Liam Moore.
But the loss of Hughes to the sin-bin, for a tackle off the ball just after the hour, proved crucial as Wakefield made the most of the extra man with Ollie Pratt going over in the 64th minute.
Josh Charnley pulled a try back with 10 minutes left from Adam Cook’s pass – his 258th in Super League – but even though Jacob Alick-Wiencke crossed with 30 seconds left, the visitors fell short of completing a comeback win.