LEIGH LEOPARDS made it to their first Challenge Cup Final for 52 years in an incredible 12-10 win over St Helens.
You could tell this was a semi-final with both sides looking nervous and feeling each other out in the opening stages.
It took until the 19th minute for the first points of the half, with Joey Lussick scampering over from dummy-half. Tommy Makinson converted as Saints led 6-0.
It was nip and tuck for the rest of the second quarter with Lussick’s 40/20 eventually coming to nought before Makingson missed a penalty on the hooter to leave the score 6-0 at the break in Paul Wellens’ side’s favour.
That being said, Leigh came out firing out after the break and they were level just three minutes following the resumption when Oliver Holmes took a beautiful Lachlan Lam pass to stride over. Ben Reynolds converted to level proceedings at 6-6.
The Leopards turned the game around just before the hour when Zak Hardaker followed up a Lam kick to somehow ground the ball before the deadball line and send the Leopards fans into raptures. Reynolds couldn’t convert, however, as Leigh led 10-6.
To make matters worse for Saints, Sione Mata’utia was sinbinned for a late shot on Reynolds on the hour, with the Leopards halfback adding two from in front of the sticks to make it 12-6.
Konrad Hurrell thought he had scored with 13 minutes to go before Makinson was held up. Remarkably, Jonny Lomax was able to cross with just two minutes to go, but Makinson’s conversion went wide as Leigh hung on for a scintillating 12-10 win.
Leigh Leopards
17 Gareth O’Brien
2 Tom Briscoe
1 Zak Hardaker
3 Ed Chamberlain
5 Josh Charnley
15 Ben Reynolds
7 Lachlan Lam
10 Robbie Mulhern
9 Edwin Ipape
8 Tom Amone
12 Jack Hughes
16 Oliver Holmes
13 John Asiata
Substitutes
6 Joe Mellor
14 Ben Nakubuwai
18 Matt Davis
25 Nathan Wilde
Tries: Holmes (43), Hardaker (53)
Goals: Reynolds 2/3
St Helens
1 Jack Welsby
2 Tommy Makinson
23 Konrad Hurrell
3 Will Hopoate
25 Tee Ritson
6 Jonny Lomax
7 Lewis Dodd
8 Alex Walmsley
14 Joey Lussick
10 Matty Lees
11 Sione Mata’utia
19 James Bell
13 Morgan Knowles
Substitutes
15 Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook
17 Agnatius Paasi
21 Ben Davies
30 George Delaney
Tries: Lussick (19), Lomax (78)
Goals: Makinson 1/3
Sinbin: Mata’utia (61) – late tackle
Half-time: 0-6
Referee: Chris Kendall
