LEIGH LEOPARDS 42 BARROW RAIDERS 10
LORRAINE MARSDEN, Leigh Sports Village, Sunday
LEIGH got life in Super League off to a winning start as they put nine tries past Barrow.
Hattie Dogus led the way with a hat-trick, while there were two each for Becky Greenfield and Kate Howard.
The league’s newest team, who earned promotion last season at the expense of Featherstone, made their presence felt from the start and when Barrow made an error on a kick-return with just two minutes on the clock, the Leopards regained possession on their own line and worked the ball out to Mackenzie Taylor to touch down in the corner.
Both sides then took some time to settle in to the game, making numerous errors, but with ten minutes gone, Leigh ran it on the last and Dogus went in out wide for her first.
Just moments later Barrow were unable to deal with a high ball and Mollie Young took advantage to increase the hosts’ lead.
Dogus added her second soon after, before a neat offload gave Leigh a three-on-one overlap down the left to put Greenfield in despite the best efforts of Barrow’s sliding defence.
When Barrow had the ball in hand they started to apply some pressure and that eventually paid off when Nicole Stewart powered over in the corner, but it was too far out for her to add the conversion.
Leigh had the final say of the half though as Howard crossed close to the sticks, allowing Charlotte Melvin her first successful kick of the afternoon to see the Leopards go in 26-4 at the break.
Just minutes into the second half, Greenfield pounced on a bouncing ball to add her second, before Howard completed her own brace just minutes later following a neat line break. Melvin added both conversions and Leigh had the game won inside 50 minutes.
Barrow never gave up though and bagged a second through Stewart, who this time did add the conversion.
But in the dying moments Barrow conceded a penalty 30 metres out and Leigh took full advantage with Dogus completing her hat-trick in the corner.
LEOPARDS: 5 Becky Greenfield, 28 Abi Johnston, 3 Mackenzie Taylor, 4 Mollie Young, 1 Hattie Dogus, 6 Rhianna Burke, 7 Leah Morris, 25 Emily Baggaley, 14 Abi Gordon, 8 Eleanor Dainty, 11 Storm Cobain, 12 Charlotte Melvin, 27 Abby Latchford. Subs (all used): 9 Kate Howard, 16 Lucy Johnson, 10 Alice Fisher, 15 Sam Brazier.
Tries: Taylor (3), Dogus (10, 22, 80), Young (14), Greenfield (26, 44), Howard (36, 47); Goals: Melvin 3/9
RAIDERS: 1 Vanessa Temple, 16 Charlotte Todhunter, 2 Shannon Parker, 4 Claire Hutchinson, 5 Chloe Capstick, 6 Kerrie-Ann Smith, 7 Beth Pattinson, 14 Mia Dobson, 9 Beth Lindsay, 10 Jodie Morley, 11 Emily Stirzaker, 12 Leah Clough, 13 Nicole Stewart. Subs (all used) 8 Kelly Friend, 15 Leah Cottier, 18 Fran Harley, 24 Becca Harley
Tries: Stewart (31, 78); Goals: Stewart 1/2
SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 8-0, 12-0, 16-0, 20-0, 20-4, 26-4; 32-4, 38-4, 38-10, 42-10
Half-time: 26-4
