Betfred Super League Round 26
Leigh Leopards 20 Wakefield Trinity 19 (after golden point extra-time)
Leigh Leopards maintained their firm hold on fourth place in Betfred Super League after a dramatic golden point victory over Wakefield Trinity at Leigh Sports Village.
Gareth O’Brien was the match-winner with a cool drop-goal just 55 seconds from the end of the second and final five-minute period of extra time.
O’Brien kept his cool where four previous attempts by desperate players from both sides had failed to nail what could be a vital one-pointer.
The result left Trinity relegated and ended their 24-year spell in the topflight.
Trinity certainly went down fighting with a display full of guts and endeavour and a never-say-die approach to a tense, thrilling but mistake-ridden game.
The Leopards looked well in control early in the second half when, with Trinity’s Kevin Proctor in the sin bin, Jack Hughes somehow grounded the ball in a massed tackle close to the line to open a 16-6 lead.
Josh Charnley and Tom Briscoe, with their 29th and 19th tries of the season respectively, had scored excellent first half tries for the Leopards with only a breakaway try by former Leigh favourite Liam Hood in reply.
The Leopards had dominated possession and territory but spurned several clear-cut openings as they missed the steadying influence of captain John Asiata, who joined Zak Hardaker and Frankie Halton on the injury list.
Trinity fought back to level with two tries in six minutes by their impressive winger Lee Kershaw and at 16-16 the game was all to play for.
In the nail-biting tension Ben Reynolds potted a penalty goal in front of the North Stand to regain the advantage for his side just before the hour-mark but Gustav Lino replied in kind five minutes later.
Just three minutes of normal time remained when O’Brien came up with what should have been the match-winning play, a well-worked drop-goal that looked to have sealed Trinity’s fate.
But the visitors forced a drop-out from the kick-off and with just 17 seconds left Luke Gale levelled matters again with another drop-goal.
As the players dragged their weary bodies into golden point extra time Gale, Lachlan Lam and O’Brien were all off target in the first period. Then after a changeover and with the Leopards attacking the South Stand, Max Jowitt’s attempt at a drop-goal for Trinity was another failure.
With a draw- which would not have suited either team- now looking the likely result O’Brien rose above the frenetic chaos of a compelling struggle to nail the last chance of securing the vital two points.
Leopards: O’Brien; Briscoe, Chamberlain, Gildart, Charnley; Reynolds, Lam; Amone, Ipape, Mulhern, Hughes, O’Donnell, Davis. Bench: Mellor, Wardle, Nakubuwai, Holmes.
Tries: Briscoe (4), Charnley (20), Hughes (43); Goals: Reynolds 3/ 4 (4, 20, 58); Drop-goals: O’Brien 2 (77, 90)
Trinity: Jowitt; Kershaw, Croft, Franco, Lineham; Gale, Lino; Battye, Hood, Whitbread, Ashurst, Griffin, Pitts. Bench: Tanginoa, Kay, Proctor, Salabio.Sin bin: Proctor (38)
Tries: Hood (9), Kershaw 2 (46, 52); Goals: Lino 3/ 4 (9, 46, 63); Drop-goal: Gale (80)
Referee: Tom Grant; Attendance: 5,565; Half-time: 12-6; Full-time: 19-19.
Main Match Sponsor: Talbot Engineering, Service & Repairs Ltd
Match Ball Sponsor: PSL Plumbing & Heating
Player of the Match sponsor: Walkersteel
Match programme sponsor: Nutra Prep’s
Main Club Sponsor: Homes Together
