LONDON BRONCOS 20 LEIGH LEOPARDS 8
LORRAINE MARSDEN, Hazelwood Centre, Sunday

LONDON have beaten a Super League side for a second consecutive season to qualify for the Challenge Cup quarter-finals with a game to spare.

Last year it was Barrow who fell victim to the Broncos, and on Sunday it was Leigh – who lost their opening game 82-0 to Leeds last weekend.

It means London’s trip to Leeds on Sunday will decide who finishes top of Group B and therefore earn a home quarter-final draw.

In a tight first half only a Becky Smart try separated the two teams, but a livelier second half saw the Broncos pull away to secure victory.

Kate Howard had initially levelled the scores for Leigh just two minutes after the restart, but three tries in a ten-minute spell from Smart, Charlotte D’Halluin and Tamsin Barber saw the Broncos gain a foothold in the game.

Becky Webb replied for Leigh just after the hour mark, before D’Halluin sealed the win with her second five minutes from time.

BRONCOS: 1 Becky Smart, 2 Perri Newman, 3 Katie Wallis, 4 Courtney Treco, 5 Charlotte D’Halluin, 6 Jade Walker, 7 Jade Mullen, 8 Emily Hughes, 9 Polly Roberts, 10 Ellie Hunt-Pain, 11 Sian McLaughlin, 12 Tamsin Barber, 13 Kathryn Salter. Subs (all used): 14 Iona McCusker, 15 Jess Valentine, 16 Siobhan Crosley-Hughes, 17 Ellie Redfern

Tries: B Smart (11, 45), D’Halluin (50, 75), Barber (54); Goals: Salter 0/5

LEOPARDS: 18 Isabelle Maylon, 2 Toryn Blackwood, 3 Nicole Barnett, 17 Macy McDermott, 23 Albany-D Coates, 6 Rhianna Burke, 5 Becky Greenfield, 8 Eleanor Dainty, 9 Kate Howard, 16 Lucy Johnson, 11 Emily Baggaley, 19 Libby Wall, 13 Storm Cobain. Subs (all used): 10 Mairead Quinn, 12 Charlotte Melvin, 20 Becky Webb, 24 Ruby Maguire

Tries: Howard (42), Webb (63); Goals: Cobain 0/2

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0; 4-4, 8-4, 12-4, 16-4, 16-8, 20-8

Half-time: 4-0