HULL KR and Leigh Leopards played out an incredible Challenge Cup Final at Wembley as Lachlan Lam delivered a remarkable drop goal in Golden Point extra-time.
Leigh got the scoreboard ticking over with a Ben Reynolds penalty inside the opening five minutes after Elliot Minchella reacted to a John Asiata tackle.
Reynolds should have added another penalty shortly after following a dangerous tackle on Tom Amone, but the Leigh halfback couldn’t convert with the Leopards still leading 2-0.
In the following set, however, Jez Litten streaked over after Minchella made a stellar break. Brad Schneider’s conversion made it 6-2.
But Leigh replied with a brilliant try when Lachlan Lam sent Kai O’Donnell through a gap and the second-rower fed Lam on the inside to go over under the posts. Reynolds added the extras to make it 8-6 to Leigh.
Reynolds added a penalty after the halfback was elbowed in the face by Minchella who was subsequently sent to the sinbin as Leigh now led 10-6.
As the hooter sounded, KR were awarded a penalty for a late hit and Schneider converted from halfway as Leigh led 10-8 at half-time.
At the start of the second-half, Rovers were given the chance to level the scores after Minchella was hit late by Edwin Ipape and Schneider sent over the two points.
It was nip and tuck from then on in and Josh Charnley was held up by a brilliant last-ditch effort from KR players just before the hour.
But the Leopards made it count with 14 minutes to go when a superb flowing move ended with Tom Briscoe finishing in the corner. Reynolds converted brilliantly to make it 16-10.
Incredibly, Rovers weren’t finished there and with seconds remaining, Schneider delivered a pinpoint kick. The ball diverted off Zak Hardaker into the path of Matt Parcell who dotted down. And Schneider converted to send the game into Golden Point at 16-16.
KR were awarded a penalty in the first set of Golden Point but the kick didn’t find touch as Gareth O’Brien sent a drop goal wide.
But, Lam made sure of the win with a perfect one-pointer.
Hull KR
20 Mikey Lewis
2 Ethan Ryan
3 Tom Opacic
4 Shaun Kenny-Dowall
5 Ryan Hall
21 Rowan Milnes
37 Brad Schneider
15 Rhys Kennedy
14 Jez Litten
10 George King
16 James Batchelor
12 Kane Linnett
13 Elliot Minchella
Substitutes
9 Matt Parcell
17 Matty Storton
22 Dean Hadley
26 Sam Luckley
Tries: Litten (15), Parcell (80)
Goals: Schneider 4/4
Sinbin: Minchella (30) – late contact
Leigh Leopards
17 Gareth O’Brien
5 Josh Charnley
3 Ed Chamberlain
1 Zak Hardaker
2 Tom Briscoe
15 Ben Reynolds
7 Lachlan Lam
8 Tom Amone
9 Edwin Ipape
10 Robbie Mulhern
24 Kai O’Donnell
12 Jack Hughes
13 John Asiata
Substitutes
6 Joe Mellor
14 Ben Nakubuwai
16 Oliver Holmes
18 Matt Davis
Tries: Lam (27), Briscoe (66)
Goals: Reynolds 4/5
Drop goals: Lam (84)
Referee: Chris Kendall
Half-time: 8-10
Scoring sequence: 0-2, 6-2, 6-8, 6-10, 8-10; 10-10, 10-16, 16-16; 17-16
