Betfred Women’s Challenge Cup Final Group Game
Hull KR 0-46 Leigh Leopards
At Sewell Group Craven Park, Sunday 7 April 2024 (2pm)
Leigh Leopards earned the first win of their Betfred Challenge Cup campaign as they ran in nine tries to defeat fellow Championship side Rovers on the outside pitch at Sewell Group Craven Park.
At the same venue where the Leopards Men’s team will continue their defence of the Challenge Cup next Saturday, Kieron Purtill’s side looked increasingly sharp and confident in attack and defended superbly to nil their opponents.
Fullback Hattie Dogus earned the individual accolades with a second half hat-trick, scoring her third try with the last play of the game.
Mollie Young successfully completed her return after suffering a broken leg more than a year ago, scoring a first half try and earning Heritage Number HN#39 alongside fellow debutant Evie Price-Horrocks (HN#40).
Leopards’ win was all the more impressive as they were without captain Mairead Quinn and Storm Cobian, both in Dublin for a training session with the Ireland team.
Skipper for the day Kate Howard opened the scoring as she dived over from the ruck before Young marked her long journey back on the comeback trail with her first try in a Leopards shirt. Charlotte Melvin hit the first of her five conversions.
Leopards were well satisfied with their hard-earned 10-0 interval lead having played against a strong wind in a tough first 40 in which they lost key middle Keira McCosh with a calf injury.
With the advantage of the elements behind them in the second half Leopards showed some outstanding attacking skills as they dominated the tie and added seven tries.
As well as Dogus’s hat-trick there were tries by Toryn Blackwood, Rhianna Burke, Leah Morris, and Mevin with the latter adding four goals.
Leopards competed well against Super League sides Leeds Rhinos and Huddersfield Giants earlier in the group games, losing 52-4 and 36-6 respectively against strong opposition. Rovers, by contrast, had conceded a total of 164 points against the same opponents without scoring a point.
Head coach Kieron Purtill was keen that his squad learned the lessons of playing against top class opponents Rhinos and Giants ahead of the re-start of their Championship campaign next Sunday.
He rotated his team throughout the cup campaign to give the players valuable game time and now has a much bigger squad than 2023 when the Leopards just missed out on a place in Super League.
Next Sunday Leopards return to Twist Lane when they host Sheffield Eagles in Round 3 of the Championship (2pm kick-off).
Leopards
1 Hattie Dogus; 2 Toryn Blackwood, 12 Charlotte Melvin, 22 Mollie Young, 29 Evie Price-Horrocks; 6 Rhianna Burke, 7 Leah Morris; 8 Keira McCosh, 9 Kate Howard (captain), 20 Eleanor Dainty, 11 Keli Morris, 25 Liv Boyham, 18 Grace Hill.
Bench: 21 Kirsty Millington, 15 Sam Brazier, 24 Abi Gordon, 17 Claire Mullaney. 18th player: 30 Maddison Price
Debuts: Mollie Young (HN#39), Evie Price-Horrocks (HN#40)
Tries: Dogus 3, Howard, Young, Blackwood, Melvin, Burke, L Morris
Goals: Melvin 5/ 9
Rovers
1 Carla Nolan; 2 Ruby Marritt, 3 Sophie Banks, 4 Demi Thomas, 5 Amy Nolan; 6 Ebony Oaten-Powdrill, 9 Kayleigh Bulman-Hook; 8 Cassy Lawson, 7 Abbie Kudla, 15 Honey Graves, 11 Narelle Hall, 14 Leonie Lawson, 13 Aaliyah Brewster.
Bench: 12 Madison Kendall, 16 Bethany Rushmer, 17 Rachel Robertson, 22 Georgia Skibowski. 18thplayer: 18 Hannah Byrom
Thanks to team manager Stephen Quinn for the information.