HULL KR 22 LEIGH LEOPARDS 8
JAMES CHESTNEY, Sewell Group Craven Park, Friday

HULL KR made it six home wins in a row against Leigh in all competitions, with the visitors not winning in East Hull since March 2023.

Rovers were led by another superb individual display from Tyrone May, but they were made to work to continue their unbeaten season on this ground as the Leopards battled despite the absence of their own general, Lachlan Lam.

Willie Peters’ side thought they had opened the scoring on just two minutes when a May break saw a James Batchelor inside ball to Mikey Lewis called forward by referee Chris Kendall.

However, seven minutes later winger Joe Burgess set the scoreboard working with one of his trademark corner flag efforts. Superb interplay by Jack Broadbent and Peta Hiku saw the ball cross the field for Rhyse Martin to send Burgess in, and Martin landed the touchline conversion for a 6-0 lead.

A Sauaso Sue knock-on saw Leigh pressurise but Jacob Alick-Wiencke lost possession from an Adam Cook pass.

Rovers replied with their second try of the game when a superb May kick behind the defence saw Hiku pounce, but this time Martin hit the upright with his conversion attempt.

On the back of a set restart, Karl Lawton knocked on to give Leigh possession and they made Rovers pay. Umyla Hanley went close to the line before Alick-Wiencke grounded the ball. Cook sent his conversion attempt well wide.

Both teams then put in Captains’ Challenges with Leigh successful after Hiku was guilty of tackling Innes Senior in the air. Rovers for their part were unsuccessful after Martin knocked on under pressure from Hanley.

A Lewis chip saw David Armstrong put the ball behind for a goalline drop-out and, from the kick, Lewis put in an audacious field-goal attempt which hit the upright, keeping it 10-4 at the break.

The first minute of the second half saw Burgess leave the field clutching his wrist and on the back of a penalty came the next Rovers try. Hiku, who had moved out to the wing, latched onto a Lewis kick before finding the supporting Jai Whitbread for a try. Martin missed with the conversion attempt.

A Lewis knock-on from the kick-off and a penalty for offside gave Leigh more impetus but Rovers held firm, then went back down the field with another try.

This time it was substitute Bill Leyland, who held off three defenders to plant the ball down. Martin added the conversion for a 20-4 lead.

Once again Lewis lost the ball from the kick-off and again Rovers were forced to defend as Leigh won another Captains Challenge when Hanley appeared to lose the ball under a Whitbread tackle.

Leigh lost playmaker Liam Horne to an HIA midway through the second half but continued to take the game to the home side.

They spurned a glorious chance on 68 minutes when substitute Matt Davis spilled a Hanley pass with the line open. But in the next set Bailey Hodgson dived in the right corner as Cook sent the conversion wide.

Rovers had the final word in this tough encounter with a late penalty from the boot of Martin for a Robbie Mulhern tackle on Lewis.

GAMESTAR: Tyrone May once again dominated play all over the field with crucial plays.

GAMEBREAKER: The Bill Leyland try which took the game away from Leigh by 16 points.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: The Elliot Minchella-Tyrone May combination which ended with a Peta Hiku try.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Tyrone May (Hull KR)
2 pts Peta Hiku (Hull KR)
1 pt David Armstrong (Leigh Leopards)

MATCHFACTS

HULL KR
14 Jack Broadbent
2 Tom Davies
3 Peta Hiku
17 Rhyse Martin
5 Joe Burgess
6 Mikey Lewis
7 Tyrone May
8 Sauaso Sue
14 Karl Lawton
10 Tom Amone
11 Dean Hadley
12 James Batchelor
13 Elliot Minchella
Subs (all used)
15 Sam Luckley
16 Jai Whitbread
22 Bill Leyland
35 Tevita Pangai Jr
18th man (not used)
20 Jordan Dezaria
Also in 21-man squad
9 Jez Litten
21 Noah Booth
34 Ryan Hampshire

Tries: Burgess (9), Hiku (12), Whitbread (43), Leyland (51)
Goals: Martin 3/5

LEOPARDS
1 David Armstrong
19 Innes Senior
3 Tesi Niu
4 Umyla Hanley
18 Bailey Hodgson
6 Adam Cook
21 Gareth O’Brien
8 Joe Ofahengaue
9 Edwin Ipape
10 Robbie Mulhern
11 Frankie Halton
15 Jacob Alick-Wiencke
13 Isaac Liu
Subs (all used)
14 Aaron Pene
16 Matt Davis
17 Liam Horne
25 Louis Brogan
18th man (not used)
29 Ryan Brown
Also in 21-man squad
5 Josh Charnley
7 Lachlan Lam
28 Ryan Brown

Tries: Alick-Wiencke (19), Hodgson (71)
Goals: Cook 0/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 10-0, 10-4; 14-4, 20-4, 20-8, 22-8

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hull KR: Tyrone May; Leopards: David Armstrong

Penalty count: 5-3
Half-time: 10-4
Referee: Chris Kendall
Attendance: 11,625