LEIGH LEOPARDS 28 WARRINGTON WOLVES 12
DAVE PARKINSON, Progress With Unity Stadium, Saturday

A PHYSICAL Super League derby saw Leigh reinforce their play-off claims by posting five tries en route to a key victory.

It was a game of four HIAs, two sin bins and a sparkling performance from Lachlan Lam, back to his most influential.

The Leopards now join Warrington in holding a two-point buffer inside the top six.

Leigh opened the scoring in the eighth minute after a spell of pressure. David Armstrong, who had earlier been pulled back in pursuit of a run by Innes Senior, looped round at a scrum and took a pass from Lam.

Liam Byrne did tremendously well to drop on an Armstrong kick near the line after eleven minutes, but after a couple of early incursions into the Leigh half, Warrington were struggling to win field position ball in hand, although the kicking of Ewan Irwin did buy them metres.

The Leopards cut loose from halfway on the left when Cook fired a pass to Umyla Hanley who raced into space and linked for Lam to go under the posts after 15 minutes. After missing his first attempt, Adam Cook goaled and Leigh were 10-0 to the good.

Early kicks from Lam pushed Warrington back but they were finally able to enjoy a set inside the Leigh half in the 22nd minute. Josh Smith was thwarted near the line and Leon Hayes brought down ten metres out.

Irwin then forced a drop-out with a clever kick to the in-goal area. Toafofoa Sipley and Joe Philbin set the platform before Danny Walker knocked on over the line.

With 27 minutes on the clock, Warrington lapsed in discipline, needlessly taking Hanley off the ball on a kick chase. Cook dispatched his penalty kick goalward for a 12-0 advantage.

Warrington lost their captain’s challenge before the half-hour, but got off the mark when Sipley crashed over by the posts and Irwin converted.

Cook put a penalty attempt wide as the half closed down, but from the 20 metre drop-out the Leopards attacked before the hooter with Lam and Cook combining for Senior to sweep over.

Although Cook missed the conversion, Leigh led 16-6 at half-time.

Warrington began the second half far more positively and put Leigh under some pressure with first Isaac Liu, then Josh Charnley coming to the Leopards’ aid after some intelligent kicking.

Walker put down a further try-scoring opportunity after a good ball from Hayes as Leigh rode their luck.

An almighty hit from Charnley on Toby King saw the Leigh winger sinbinned, but Hayes was also yellow carded for a tackle on Owen Trout shortly after to cancel it out.

A collision from Ofahengaue won the ball back for the hosts and the Leigh prop drove under the posts for a big try.

Cook goaled and added a further penalty goal with 56 minutes played as the Wolves’ discipline lapsed.

Sensing blood, Leigh moved into attack again with Hanley spinning through after Lam, Cook and Armstrong all combined to make it 28-6.

Warrington pulled a try back with a well-worked try on the right for Albert Hopoate after some soft hands and Irwin goaled to close the gap to 16 points, but Leigh were good enough to keep their visitors out in the closing stages.

GAMESTAR: Lachlan Lam was back to his imperious best, dominating the game alongside halfback partner Adam Cook.

GAMEBREAKER: Umyla Hanley’s twisting effort put the game out of the Wolves’ reach.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Joe Ofahengaue’s try raised the roof of the North Stand.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Lachlan Lam (Leigh)
2 pts Joe Ofahengaue (Leigh)
1 pt Toafofoa Sipley (Warrington)

MATCHFACTS

LEOPARDS
1 David Armstrong
19 Innes Senior
22 Jack Hughes
4 Umyla Hanley
5 Josh Charnley
6 Adam Cook
7 Lachlan Lam
8 Joe Ofahengaue
17 Liam Horne
13 Isaac Liu
11 Frankie Halton
12 Owen Trout
25 Louis Brogan
Subs (all used)
9 Edwin Ipape
16 Matt Davis
28 Ryan Brown
31 Lazarus Vaalepu
18th man (not used)
24 Ben McNamara
Also in 21-man squad
10 Robbie Mulhern
21 Gareth O’Brien
29 Will Brough

Tries: Armstrong (8), Lam (15), Senior (39), Ofahengaue (53), Hanley (59)
Goals: Cook 4/8
Sin bin: Charnley (49) – high tackle

WOLVES
35 Lachlan Webster
5 Matty Ashton
3 Toby King
26 Josh Smith
4 Albert Hopoate
18 Ewan Irwin
19 Leon Hayes
16 Liam Byrne
9 Danny Walker
21 Luke Thomas
11 Adam Holroyd
10 James Harrison
13 Ben Currie
Subs (all used)
15 Toafofoa Sipley
17 Jordan Crowther
20 James Bentley
22 Joe Philbin
18th man (not used)
1 Cai Taylor-Wray
Also in 21-man squad
7 Marc Sneyd
31 Ben Hartill
34 Kelepi Tanginoa

Tries: Sipley (34), Hopoate (70)
Goals: Irwin 2/2
Sin bin: Hayes (52) – tip tackle

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 10-0, 12-0, 12-6, 16-6; 22-6, 24-6, 28-6, 28-12

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Leopards: Lachlan Lam; Wolves: Toafofoa Sipley

Penalty count: 12-7
Half-time: 16-6
Referee: Marcus Griffiths
Attendance: 9,145