LEIGH LEOPARDS 4 FEATHERSTONE ROVERS 16
ELLIE INDIE, Twist Lane, Saturday

FEATHERSTONE took a big step towards Super League survival by kicking-off their Shield campaign with a second win of the season.

Leigh started well and applied early pressure but Nicole Barnett’s wide pass found touch while Steph Gray danced her way past a few defenders but couldn’t barge through.

Charlotte Melvin’s kick found her rapid centre Barnett who came inches from the line to be shut down by a sturdy challenge from Lydia Fawkes.

Featherstone’s turn of good fortune came as they earned a scrum on halfway at the end of their set. After a fair contest with a few spirited breaks from Libby Wall, the game settled.

Leigh earned two penalties but Rovers responded with back-to-back sets in the danger zone before Brogan Churm barged through under the sticks, providing an easy conversion for Dani Waters.

The home side received two set restarts and two scrums ten out, but the Blue Wall didn’t budge. Their intent down the right-hand side with an overlap was clear but an error denied Gray an opportunity.

And they were punished three minutes into the second half by Katie Evans’ crash at the line from 15 metres out, although Emillie Holmes’ kick lacked the height for a conversion.

Leigh were pressured for the first 15 minutes with Featherstone purchasing great positioning through penalties. The Churm sisters made threatening darts to the line but the Leopards remained honest.

That was until a set play from Featherstone put second-row Tilly Churm in the right place at the right time, cutting through the defence in a crisp fashion. Waters, returning to the tee, took on the challenge of a 30-metre kick with success.

Errors riddled the final phase of the game but three minutes from the end, Leigh were able to ship the ball wide over a number of quick plays which enabled Toryn Blackwood to crash over the top of Shavon Craven and score their only points of the game.

LEOPARDS: 1 Hattie Dogus, 26 Steph Gray, 3 Nicole Barnett, 27 Rachel Lane, 18 Isabelle Malyon, 6 Rhianna Burke, 13 Storm Cobain, 8 Eleanor Dainty, 2 Toryn Blackwood, 16 Lucy Johnson, 11 Emily Baggaley, 12 Charlotte Melvin, 19 Libby Wall. Subs (all used): 10 Mairead Quinn, 21 Olivia Hill, 22 Millie Bell, 23 Albany-D Coates

Tries: Blackwood (77), Goals: Cobain 0/1

ROVERS: 19 Beth Macmillan, 2 Ellie Lamb, 3 Chloe Billington, 4 Lydia Fawkes, 5 Shavon Craven, 6 Charley Blackburn, 29 Cerys Gregory, 14 Gabby Harrison, 13 Dani Waters, 15 Aaliyah Brewster, 11 Tilly Churm, 21 Nat Carr, 10 Emillie Holmes. Subs (all used): 8 Katie Evans, 12 Brogan Churm, 18 Ash Prescott, 31 Téssa Benmalek

Tries: B Churm (23), Evans (43), T Churm (61); Goals: Waters 2/2, Holmes 0/1

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6; 0-10, 0-16, 4-16

Half-time: 0-6; Referee: Tom Prescott