LEIGH 34 LIVERPOOL ST.HELENS 26

VICTORY SECURES PROMOTION

The prize for the winners of this match was promotion to North One West. Both teams were desperate to end their season in style having only lost a handful of games between them.
Once again it was Leigh off to a flying start, quick handling by the home team and the ever improving Ryan McKinstry crossing the line in style Rob Drake added the conversion, one minute played, seven points to the good.

Leigh were now playing with ever increasing confidence moving the ball at pace, creating numerous scoring opportunities which only excellent defence by the Saints kept Leigh at bay.
Next score for Leigh stemmed from a line out move started off by Paul Hampson followed by the fastest driving maul ever recorded at Hand Lane, for skipper Iain Wood to touch down wide out, again Leigh's Rob Drake converted, fourteen nil, seven minutes played.
Leigh continued to play a high tempo game and the match seemed all over when Sean McDonald crossed for a converted try to put the score at 21-0
LSH then re-grouped and started to give Leigh a sample of their own medicine. First their scrum half left a coupe of Leigh forwards trailing in his wake putting seven points on the board. Right on half time the Saints were back in contention with yet another seven pointer.

Resumption of the second half and it was the visitors battering away at the Leigh defence, which capitulated when their winger scored wide out.
With a two point gap in Leigh's favour a penalty by Rob Drake was welcome relief for the Hand Lane outfit. Back came the Saints with another seven points to put them in the lead for the first time by two points.
Nail biting time for the home spectators, however, once again it was Leigh's kicking machine, Rob Drake, who calmly slotted over a penalty to give Leigh the narrowest of leads.
It came as a relief to Leigh when Steve Millard, in his final match before retirement, grounded under the posts with Rob Drake adding another two points.

This was a fitting end to Leigh's successful season with congratulations from players and spectators alike going to the man at the helm Club coach Vila Matautia.

Derek Leake Snr (Press Officer) .