LEIGH LEOPARDS held on for a priceless two points in their hunt for a Super League play-off spot with a 20-10 win over Castleford Tigers at The Jungle.
The Tigers started the brighter of the two sides after Zak Hardaker dropped a high ball. A few tackles later and the hosts had the first points of the night with Tex Hoy feeding Fletcher Rooney for his first score in Castleford colours. Rowan Milnes couldn’t convert, however, as the scores remained 4-0.
A Joe Westerman knock on from the kick-off handed Leigh the perfect opportunity to hit back immediately, but Ricky Leutele lost the ball with the whitewash gaping.
The Leopards did get their four-pointer eventually, though, Zak Hardaker scything through the Castleford line to plant the ball down in the corner on 23 minutes. Darnell McIntosh’s conversion hit the post as the scores were locked at 4-4.
Inexplicably, Josh Charnley lost the ball over the line as Leigh looked to double their score. But, the Tigers were hanging on and the visitors did pounce next – and it was Charnley who grounded a pinpoint Lachlan Lam grubber. McIntosh was once more off target as Leigh led 8-4 at half-time.
HALF-TIME: CASTLEFORD TIGERS 4-8 LEIGH LEOPARDS
Castleford put the hammer down early on in the second-half, but it was a wicked stroke of luck that allowed Leigh to open up a 14-4 lead.
Jacob Miller went to kick the ball to the corner, but seemed to take an age and Edwin Ipape’s charge down saw the PNG hooker run 80 metres under the posts. Hardaker converted.
It was two tries in five minutes with Lam floating a brilliant pass over the top for Charnley to grab his second with Hardaker on target to make it 20-4.
The hosts did finally stem the Leopards onslaught just after the hour as Joe Westerman dummied and went through a huge Leigh-shaped hole. Milnes converted to reduce the deficit to ten at 20-10.
But, the last points of the night should have gone to Leigh when Hardaker went for a penalty for a dangerous throw with just minutes left.
As it was, the Leigh man missed the goal as Sylvester Namo was sinbinned for the earlier indiscretion.
FULL-TIME: CASTLEFORD TIGERS 10-20 LEIGH LEOPARDS
Castleford Tigers
34 Tex Hoy – 6
23 Fletcher Rooney – 5
35 Corey Hall – 5
12 Alex Mellor – 7
5 Innes Senior – 7
16 Rowan Milnes – 6
7 Jacob Miller – 6
20 Muizz Mustapha – 5
10 George Lawler – 5
13 Joe Westerman – 7
11 Elie El-Zakhem – 6
30 Luis Johnson – 5
29 George Hill – 5
Substitutes
8 Liam Watts – 4
21 Sylvester Namo – 4
24 Cain Robb – 7
32 Daniel Hindmarsh – 6
Tries: Fletcher (4), Westerman (63)
Goals: Milnes 1/2
Leigh Leopards
3 Zak Hardaker – 6
34 Darnell McIntosh – 6
24 Umyla Hanley – 6
4 Ricky Leutele – 7
5 Josh Charnley – 6
12 Jack Hughes – 5
7 Lachlan Lam – 8
17 Owen Trout – 6
9 Edwin Ipape – 9
10 Robbie Mulhern – 8
11 Kai O’Donnell – 8
16 Frankie Halton – 7
13 John Asiata – 7
Substitutes
14 Dan Norman – 5
30 Louis Brogan – 5
33 Brad Dwyer – 6
35 Aaron Pene – 6
Tries: Hardaker (23), Charnley (30, 52), Ipape (48)
Goals: McIntosh 0/2, Hardaker 2/2
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