Leigh Centurions took their most decisive step yet towards Super League with their fourth successive win in this year’s Qualifiers. Trailing 12-0 after the opening quarter, it looked like their hopes were about to be dealt a serious blow, but the Championship side ran in 22 unanswered points either side of half-time to move to within one win of automatic promotion.
Five wins is widely assumed to be required in the Qualifiers to gain a place in Super League – which means victory against Huddersfield next Saturday will put Leigh in the top flight for the first time since 2005. Even if they lose that game they have a terrific chance the following week when they host Batley, who have yet to win a game.
Leigh may already done enough as eight points were enough to secure a top-three finish 12 months ago.
“It’s nowhere near job done yet,” said the Leigh coach, Neil Jukes. “Mathematically, 10 points doesn’t even get you in but make no mistake, this was a massive game to win. The message is that it’s not done yet.”
In horrendous conditions it was the home side who settled better early on, with tries from Ken Sio and Josh Mantellato, coupled with two goals from the latter appearing to show that the suspension of Albert Kelly for arriving late after a trip back to Australia was not affecting them. “I thought we were going to get hammered at that point,” Jukes said.
As the contest wore on, the Centurions adjusted to the horrendous conditions that plagued the game from start to finish, gaining a deserved reward before half-time when Sam Hopkins charged over with his first touch after emerging from the bench.
They would then level shortly after half-time when Andrew Dixon crossed following a fine ball from Martyn Ridyard, sparking a run of three tries in five minutes that turned the game on its head. Matty Dawson touched down after an error from the Hull KR full-back, Ben Cockayne, before a marvellous break from Cory Paterson was finished by Josh Drinkwater, with Ridyard converting to make it 22-12.
Rovers would set up a dramatic finish when Matty Marsh crossed late on, but a penalty and subsequent drop goal from Ridyard secured another enormous victory for the Centurions with this result meaning the Robins may yet have to win the Million Pound Game to secure their Super League status.
Hull KR Cockayne; Sio, Minns, Thornley, Mantellato; Marsh, Blair; Tilse, Lunt, Allgood, Greenwood, Clarkson, Walker. Interchange Mulhern, Larroyer, Donaldson, Lawler.
Tries Sio, Mantellato, Marsh. Goals Mantellato 3.
Leigh McNally; Higson, Worthington, Brown, Dawson; Ridyard, Drinkwater; Hock, Higham, Weston, Maitua, Tickle, Paterson. Interchange Hood, Hansen, Dixon, Hopkins.
Tries Hopkins, Dixon, Dawson, Drinkwater. Goals Ridyard 4. Drop goal Ridyard (78).
Referee R Hicks. Attendance 7,363.
Match rating 7/10.
