ST HELENS 20 LEIGH LEOPARDS 18
DAVE PARKINSON, Brewdog Stadium, Friday

PAUL ROWLEY earned his first Super League win as St Helens boss with Jackson Hastings’ 57th-minute penalty proving the difference in a pulsating game.

Both sides can take plenty from the performance with Saints again ending short-handed due to injury, while Leigh will rue making more mistakes in the second half than their opponents.

Leigh made a great start after Andy Badrock collected a pat-back from the Saints attackers and charged almost 40 metres. Leigh moved confidently inside the home 20 before Adam Cook slung a long pass right and Josh Charnley scampered over in the corner after just three minutes.

Saints’ early-season injury worries continued with Jonny Lomax, on his first start of the year, being led down the tunnel, and he was soon joined on the list by former Leigh favourite Nene Macdonald.

Tristan Sailor, whose switch to fullback was swiftly ended by Lomax’s exit, which saw Harry Robertson installed at the back, was held up over the line, although Daryl Clark later twisted over and Hastings goaled.

Just as St Helens seemed to be getting on top, a ball spill from Alex Walmsley relieved pressure. An error at dummy-half then gifted Leigh more possession and they went close to scoring in the 18th minute when quick hands brought another chance for Charnley. This time he was tackled into touch by Lewis Murphy.

Saints then challenged a call against Walmsley that resulted in a penalty that Hastings nudged goalward to increase the hosts’ advantage to 8-4 after 22 minutes.

Five minutes later Leigh stripped Saints for numbers on the left with Lachlan Lam and Tesi Niu involved to send Innes Senior running into the corner. Cook converted from near the touchline to make it 8-10.

Kyle Feldt had a try disallowed for St Helens due to a forward pass as the high-octane action continued.

After Keanan Brand was hauled down on the right, Leigh halfbacks Cook and Lam combined and Bailey Hodgson burst through for a Cook-converted effort to make it 8-16.

Saints retrieved the kick-off and after setting the position, excellent ball movement saw Sailor and Deon Cross put Feldt over in the right corner, where Hastings couldn’t goal.

Leigh won a drop-out with just 22 seconds left of the half and Cook’s attempted field-goal went wide as the hooter sounded on the first half at 12-16.

The teams went set-for-set at the start of the second half before Robertson spilled Lam’s midfield kick. With Saints then caught offside at the scrum, Cook booted the penalty to stretch the Leopards lead to 12-18.

Just three minutes later the game was locked at 18-18 after Hastings sent the outstanding Joe Shorrocks under the posts and the halfback also goaled.

A poor pass from Liam Horne conceded a drop-out and then Cook’s attempted short kick heaped more pressure on the Leopards, but a superb tackle by Jacob Alick-Wiencke stopped the hosts in their tracks on the last tackle.

With Saints winning more field position, Shane Wright won a penalty and Hastings converted to put the hosts back in the lead with the crucial goal after 57 minutes.

St Helens were completing better in the final minutes, and after a mistake from Isaac Liu, moved close again with Hastings pulling the strings.

At the other end, Edwin Ipape got away from a couple of defenders but at the end of the set Cook’s kick was just too long. A breathtaking period of play saw Leigh keep the ball alive well on the last before Feldt came to Saints rescue.

A clearing run from Cross saw him brought down on Saints’ 40-metre line, and he left the field for a head-injury assessment.

Battered and bruised, Saints held their nerve to win their first home league game of the year.

GAMESTAR: Joe Shorrocks linked attack perfectly and was industrious throughout in defence.

GAMEBREAKER: That 57th-minute penalty won the game for Saints.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Joe Shorrocks wrongfooting the Leigh defence to go under the posts.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Joe Shorrocks (St Helens)
2 pts Bailey Hodgson (Leigh)
1 pt Daryl Clark (St Helens)

MATCHFACTS

SAINTS
6 Tristan Sailor
2 Kyle Feldt
25 Nene Macdonald
5 Deon Cross
20 Lewis Murphy
7 Jonny Lomax
31 Jackson Hastings
13 David Klemmer
9 Daryl Clark
8 Alex Walmsley
11 Curtis Sironen
12 Shane Wright
22 Joe Shorrocks
Subs (all used)
3 Harry Robertson
14 Jacob Host
15 George Delaney
16 Matt Whitley
18th man (not used)
17 George Whitby
Also in 21-man squad
23 Jake Burns
24 Owen Dagnall
25 Jake Davies

Tries: Clark (8), Feldt (37), Shorrocks (48)
Goals: Hastings 4/5

LEOPARDS
18 Bailey Hodgson
19 Innes Senior
3 Tesi Niu
2 Keanan Brand
5 Josh Charnley
6 Adam Cook
7 Lachlan Lam
12 Owen Trout
9 Edwin Ipape
10 Robbie Mulhern
23 Andy Badrock
15 Jacob Alick-Wiencke
8 Joe Ofahengaue
Subs (all used)
22 Jack Hughes
16 Matt Davies
13 Isaac Liu
17 Liam Horne
18th man (not used)
21 Gareth O’Brien
Also in 21-man squad
4 Umyla Hanley
11 Frankie Halton
14 Aaron Pene

Tries: Charnley (3), Senior (27), Hodgson (35)
Goals: Cook 3/4

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 6-4, 8-4, 8-10, 8-16, 12-16; 12-18, 18-18, 20-18

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Saints: Joe Shorrocks; Leopards: Bailey Hodgson

Penalty count: 9-3
Half-time: 12-16
Referee: Aaron Moore
Attendance: 13,203