Wakefield Trinity were slight favourites with the bookies,
handicapped by two on the coupon, as they entertained the Leigh Leopards in a
game which looked, on paper at least, like the toe of the weekend.
Fourth placed Leigh knew that a win would not help their
league position, but it would keep them within touching distance of the Rhinos
in third place, while a win for Trinity would see Daryl Powell’s side end the
round in the top half of the table and a playoff position.
It’s honours shared so far in 2025, Trinity winning the
league encounter at the end of March but then losing out in the Challenge Cup
quarter final the following week.
A comedy of errors in the opening minutes allowed Leigh possession
and position and with four minutes on the clock David Armstrong used great
strength as the ball was moved down the blind side and the full back went over
the line, picking up a shoulder injury in the process. Ben McNamara failed to
add the conversion from wide but a great start for the visitors.
Within four minutes Trinity were back level, Max Jowitt
dropping the shoulder and running the angle after taking a Mason Lino pass. The
Wakefield full back added the conversion to edge his side ahead.
As the game approached twenty minutes McNamara kicked a thirty-metre
penalty and again the scores were level, the game was living up to the
pre-match expectations of a close encounter.
A clever move from Leigh saw them back into the lead after a
great Darnell McIntosh break. From the next play after the flying winger was
tackled, a lovely inside pass from Owen Trout went to the hands of Armstrong allowing
him to ghost in for a second try of the game. McNamara found the target again
for 12-6.
Another McNamara penalty of thirty-one put the Leopards two
scores ahead, Wakefield paying the price for poor discipline.
Brilliance from Lacchlan Lam, weaving his way through a
broken defence, enabled him to draw the last defender before putting in a pass
to McIntosh who was in an acre of space to canter home. McNamara was wide this
time with his conversion attempt, the gap still two converted tries.
Two minutes before the interval Trinity grabbed themselves a
lifeline, Oliver Pratt taking a short pass down the left side, stepped past his
tackler, and went in from ten metres out. Jowitt added the conversion to put
his side within six of the Leopards at the interval.
Back-to-back penalties in Trinity’s favour on the hour mark saw
Jowitt add a couple of points from the boot to reduce the arrears to four
points.
A flowing move from Wakefield on sixty-three saw Tom
Johnstone go close down the wing and after a fast play the ball a kick into
goal from Trueman wasn’t dealt with by Tesi Niu for Leigh and picked up by Corey
Hall to dot down and level the scores. Jowitt kicked a fourth goal of the
afternoon, Trinity into a two-point lead.
As the game entered the last ten minutes it was still anyone’s
for the taking.
Just over six minutes remained when Ofahengaue crashed the
Wakefield line and despite a strong defensive effort he stretched to score by
the post pad. McNamara added the extra two, Leigh now in the position to close
out the win.
Jowitt was held up over the line on seventy-eight, great
defence preventing what would likely have been the winning score.
A terrifically close game between two evenly matched sides
which ebbed and flowed with the lead changing hands on four occasions before
Leigh edged in front and managed to hold on until the final hooter. Leigh pick
up the crucial two points to hang on to the Rhinos shirt tails while Wakefield
remain outside the top six despite their enterprise.
Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt (T, G 4/4), Russell, Hall (T),
Pratt (T), Johnstone, Trueman, Lino, McMeeken, Hood, Vagana, Croft, Griffin,
Pitts. Subs: Cozza, Rourke, Smith, Faatili. 18th Man: Nikotemo.
Leigh Leopards: Armstrong (2T), McIntosh (T), Niu, Hanley,
Brand, McNamara (G 4/6), Lam, Ofahengaue (T), Ipape, Mulhern, Trout, Halton,
Liu. Subs: Hughes, Tuitavake, Davis, Hodgson. 18th Man: Charnley.
Half-Time: 12-18.
Full-Time: 20-24.
Score Progression: 0-4, 4-4, 6-4, 6-6, 6-10, 6-12, 6-14,
6-18, 10-18, 12-18 : HT: 14-18, 18-18, 20-18, 20-22, 20-24 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: Leigh – Square – Wakefield – Square – Leigh –
Square – Wakefield - Leigh.
Referee: Jack Smith.
