Wakefield held off a late fightback from coachless 12-man Huddersfield to scrape into the Super League top six.
Jamahl Lolesi scored the first try of the match but Wakefield hit back through Jamie Rooney and Scott Grix.
Rooney claimed a controversial try after the half-time hooter had sounded to make it 18-8 and Kevin Henderson and Jason Demetriou added further scores.
Huddersfield saw Luke Robinson dimissed but managed tries from Eorl Crabtree, John Skandalis and Darrell Griffin.
It was a fiery encounter at Belle Vue, with an early tackle on Wakefield's Danny Brough setting the tone for the afternoon.
Play was held up for four minutes following the tackle by Kevin Brown, with referee Steve Ganson placing the incident on report.
After the delay ill-feeling still lingered and Danny Sculthorpe and Griffin were sin-binned for exchanging punches.
Wakefield coach John Kear:
"I am very disappointed with the approach the opponents took, especially early on in the game.
"I felt the challenge on Danny Brough was disgraceful. I was really pleased how my players responded to that.
"He got up-ended. We can look at it on the video - the RFL will have a look at it and rightly so, I am absolutely seething about that."
Huddersfield caretaker coach Kieron Purtill:
"It's all we've asked for. From the last result we've just asked them to go out and get a response. We saw that. It's a big response from last time we played.
Purtill on Rooney's disputed try:
"Personally I didn't hear it (the hooter). I was on my way down from the gantry at the time and the lads have not mentioned it.
"At half-time they were looking forward to getting back out there and carrying on with the game."
Wakefield: Blaymire, Grix, Gleeson, Atkins, Blanch, Rooney,
Brough, Wilkes, Obst, Bibey, Golden, MacGillivray, Sculthorpe.
Replacements: Moore, Drew, Demetriou, Henderson.
Huddersfield: Cudjoe, Aspinwall, Brown, Whaturia, Elford,
Thorman, Robinson, Griffin, Hudson, Skandalis, Wild, Lolesi,
Raleigh.
Replacements: Jackson, Crabtree, Kirmond, Jensen.
Referee: S Ganson (St Helens)
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