LEIGH LEOPARDS 20 HUDDERSFIELD GIANTS 20
STEPHEN IBBETSON, Golborne Parkside, Saturday

LEIGH couldn’t make the most of a player advantage in the closing stages as Huddersfield held on for a dramatic draw.

A game full of twists and turns saw the second-bottom Leopards lose a 10-0 lead and then twice peg the Giants back in the second half.

Their initial advantage was hard-earned, as they scored two tries in the opening 15 minutes through Mollie Young – converted by Charlotte Melvin – and Lucy Johnson.

But Fran Copley got four points back before half-time and then Giants Academy player Madison Clegg, on her first-team debut, raced from inside her own half for a memorable try three minutes into the second half.

Sam Hulme’s conversion levelled the scores and she was on target again when Amelia Brown powered in for her 14th Super League try of the season to give Huddersfield a 10-16 lead.

Leigh, well beaten 32-6 in June’s reverse fixture, were far from finished though and Storm Cobain finished a well-worked try before the hour, goaled by Melvin to tie things up.

Copley scrambled over for her second try, but again the Giants’ lead was short lived as Rhianna Burke set up Mackenzie Taylor out wide.

Melvin couldn’t convert and although Eva Izumi’s yellow card gave further hope to the Leopards, the teams had to settle for a share of the spoils.

LEOPARDS: 1 Hattie Dogus, 2 Toryn Blackwood, 3 Mackenzie Taylor, 4 Mollie Young, 28 Abi Johnston, 6 Rhianna Burke, 7 Leah Morris, 10 Alice Fisher, 9 Kate Howard, 16 Lucy Johnson, 37 Alyx Bridge, 12 Charlotte Melvin, 11 Storm Cobain. Subs (all used): 5 Becky Greenfield, 25 Emily Baggaley, 26 Hannah Roberts, 34 Katie Palmer

Tries: Young (3), Johnson (15), Cobain (58), M Taylor (66); Goals: Melvin 2/4

GIANTS: 1 Amelia Brown, 2 Tilly Davies, 18 Eva Izumi, 4 Fran Copley, 21 Faye Barraclough, 13 Bethan Oates, 7 Sam Hulme, 14 Gracie Hobbs, 9 Megan Preston, 10 Jess Harrap, 20 Amy Bennett, 25 Maddy Hutchison, 3 Lois Naidole. Subs (all used): 19 Madison Clegg, 22 Skye Jackson, 24 Freya Whitehead, 28 Lauren Exley

Tries: Copley (24, 63), Clegg (43), Brown (51); Goals: Hulme 2/4; Sin bin: Izumi (68) – foul play

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

Half-time: 10-4