If there was a trophy for most improved side throughout the 2024 season then it would already be safely on display in the Leigh Leopards trophy cabinet as the continued their increasingly likely drive for a top six finish with a trip to struggling Castleford Tigers, their eyes firmly on fourth spot in the table.
Leigh have only lost two games in the last two months and both of those were to defending Champions, the Wigan Warriors, after losing their opening three fixtures of the season and looking like they would be struggling at the bottom with London, Hull and tonight’s opponents Castleford.
The season had been over for weeks for the hosts and they were simply playing for pride and the possibility of finishing the season in ninth place.
Kai O’Donnell hit a gap in the Castleford line on the half-way line on seven minutes and pinned back his ears to avoid the Tigers tacklers and sprint for the line for the opening points of the game. Matt Moylan was able to add the conversion for a 6-0 lead.
It took just six minutes for the score to be doubles, a Ricky Leutele pass finding Josh Charnley close to the left wing, the prolific scorer crabbing across the field before straightening up and going through a gap to dot down by the left upright. Moylan was again on target, it was all too easy for the Leopards.
Just after the half hour mark there was some hope for the home side as Corey Hall collected a Rowan Milnes grubber to the corner to ground. Milnes added the conversion for 6-12, but elation turned to nightmare when Muizz Mustapha spilled the kick off and the loose ball was picked up and dotted down by Tom Amone for the easiest of tries. The Moylan goal re-established the twelve-point advantage at the interval.
Four minutes after the restart Lachlan Lam was the provider as Gareth O’Brien went in for the four-pointer and Moylan failed to add the extras.
A late and high hit on O’Brien by Jensen Windley, the Tigers youngster sent to the sinbin. From the resulting penalty Amone hit a gap to charge over from ten metres out for the fifth Leigh try of the night. This time Moylan found the target with the conversion for a twenty-two-point advantage.
Two minutes later and expansive passing move down the left wing saw Leutele dive in at the left corner and with Moylan adding the conversion the visitors were 34—6 ahead.
On the hour mark Asiata was sin-binned for a late tackle and two minutes later Rowan Milnes took full advantage of the extra man as he exploited a gap to slide over by the left upright. He added the conversion to his own try as the Tigers hit double digits, with the final score of the game and a 34-12 win for the visitors.
Leigh continue their incredible march up the table and their fantastic recent run of results with just one defeat now in their last eleven games as they sit fourth in the table ahead of daunting closing fixtures against Hull KR and St Helens in the closing two rounds. Two wins would guarantee a top six finish but the likelihood is that taking two points in those closing fixtures would be enough to secure them a play-off position.
Castleford Tigers: Hoy, Qareqare, Hooley, Hall (T), Senior, Milnes (T, 2/2 G)), Windley (SB on 51), Watts, McShane, Westerman, Mellor, El-Zakhem, Hill. Subs: Lawler, Mustapha, Robb, Hindmarsh. 18th Man: Rooney.
Leigh Leopards: Moylan (5/6 G), Charnley (T), Hanley, Leutele (T), McIntosh, O’Brien (T), Lam, Amone (2T), Davis, Mulhern, O’Donnell (T), Halton, Asiata (SB on 60). Subs: Dwyer, Pene, Hughes, Trout. 18th Man: Holmes.
Half-Time: 6-18.
Full-Time: 12-34.
Score Progression: 0-4, 0-6, 0-12, 4-12, 6-12, 6-16, 6-18 :HT: 6-22, (SB), 6-26, 6-28, 6-32, 6-34, (SB), 10-34, 12-34 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: Leigh.
Referee: Aaron Moore.
