Sunday 18 May 2025

Betfred Women’s Super League Round 1

Leopards Den (noon)

Leigh Leopards 42-10 Barrow Raiders

Leopards got their Super League campaign off to a flying start with a fine opening day victory over the Raiders at the Leopards Den.

Hattie Dogus, switched to the wing, marked the historic occasion with a splendid hat-trick while Becky Greenfield, who rivalled her for Player of the Match honours, added a brace.

Hooker Kate Howard came off the bench to often destroy a slow-moving defence and punish them with two further tries.

Mackenzie Taylor and Mollie Young were Leopards’ other try-scorers with Charlotte Melvin adding three goals.

Leopards played fluently and enjoyed the beautiful playing surface which suited their free-flowing style.

Barrow had beaten Leopards to promotion in 2023 but struggled with the pace of the game. Nicole Stewart accounted for all their points from two tries and a conversion.

Three tries in the opening 14 minutes by Taylor, Dogus and Young got the Leopards up and running and they built a 26-4 lead at half-time. Dogus, Greenfield and Howard added further tries.

Early second half tries by Greenfield and Howard made the game safe and the only disappointment for the Leopards was their inability to turn their dominance into more points in the last half-hour.

Dogus did, however, end the game on a high by completing her hat-trick in the dying seconds.

Leopards

Becky Greenfield; Abi Johnston, Mackenzie Taylor, Mollie Young, Hattie Dogus; Rhianna Burke, Leah Morris; Emily Baggaley, Abi Gordon, Eleanor Dainty, Storm Cobain, Charlotte Melvin, Abby Latchford

Bench:

Kate Howard, Lucy Johnson, Alice Fisher, Sam Brazier

Tries:

Taylor (3), Dogus (10, 22, 80), Young (14), Greenfield (26, 44), Howard (36, 47)

Goals:

Melvin 3/9

Raiders

Vanessa Temple; Charlotte Todhunter, Shannon Parker, Claire Hutchinson, Chloe Capstick; Kerrie-Ann Smith, Beth Pattinson; Mia Dobson, Beth Lindsay, Jodie Morley, Emily Stirzaker, Leah Clough, Nicole Stewart

Bench:

Kelly Friend, Leah Cottier, Fran Harley, Becca Harley

Tries:

Stewart (31, 78)

Goals:

Stewart 1/ 2

Scoring sequence:

4-0, 8-0, 12-0, 16-0, 20-0, 20-4, 26-4 (ht) 32-4, 38-4, 38-10, 42-10