MATCH REPORT: LONDON BRONCOS VS LEIGH LEOPARDS
LONDON BRONCOS V LEIGH LEOPARDS (by David Ballheimer)
London Broncos (6) 12, Leigh Leopards (12) 32
Although the London Broncos did not deserve to lose by 20 points to Leigh Leopards at a breezy Cherry Red Records Stadium, there is no doubt that the visitors deserved to return home with the spoils. With an hour on the clock, the scores were level but, crucially, London had failed to take a few very good chances to regain the lead. When Leigh found themselves in similar positions, in the game’s final quarter, they scored at a point a minute.
The Broncos had the first good opportunity, on the back of a forward pass by Leigh on their 20, but Iliess Macani was unceremoniously shoved into touch three metres from the line, the gap he had seen closed at great speed by the Leopards’ cover defence.
Leigh then had a spell of pressure, but stern Broncos defence held on for three sets near to their own line. In the 14th minute, the Leopards made a hash of moving the ball to their left wing and Lee Kershaw picked up the loose ball. He was stopped about 15 metres out, but the Broncos used the seven-tackle set well as Oli Leyland’s grubber was picked up by Sam Davis and he grounded the ball to the satisfaction of the referee and the video official too.
The score was cancelled out next time Leigh got the ball, a delightful kick from Lachlan Lam behind the London line was gathered in-goal by Darnell McIntosh and he had dotted the ball down before Josh Rourke could cover. Zak Hardaker’s kick drifted wide of the far upright.
Leigh’s defence came to their rescue twice in a few minutes, both times after conceding penalties. The first saw Umyla Hanley and McIntosh push Macani into touch, then after John Asiata was sin-binned for a late hit, Lewis Bienik was stopped by a tackle that appeared to go around his neck and he lost the ball.
The Broncos’ discipline then deserted them because Rob Butler got into a tangle with Edwin Ipape and when the ball was kicked on the last tackle, he went in late. This led to a skirmish and Butler also ended up in the sin-bin. Adding to their woes London were undone by another kick behind the line and this one was grounded by Frankie Halton, though Hardaker again failed to convert.
London still had no answer to the kicks into the defensive line and two minutes before half-time, Ricky Leutele leapt spectacularly to ground the ball centimetres from the dead-ball line. Hardaker hit the outside of the near post with his kick so despite scoring three tries to the Broncos’ one, the Leigh lead was only a converted try.
When Leigh were penalised for a high tackle – no other sanction – early in the second half, it gave the Broncos the chance to draw level. A repeat set increased the pressure and Leyland’s inside pass to Josh Rourke saw the full-back cut inside and ground the ball close enough to the posts for Leyland to tie the game.
The Leopards continued to misfire in the first 15 minutes of the second half, but London failed to take advantage. Midway through the half, London made a mistake inside their 20, then conceded two penalties. This gave Hardaker the chance to give Leigh a lead they certainly didn’t deserve based on those 21 second-half minutes.
With 13 minutes remaining, the decisive moment came. Ipape made his first clean break of the game, taking the ball 20 metres. A quick play the ball left the London defence in tatters and Kai O’Donnell stormed between the posts. Leigh ramped up the pressure and, despite a repeat set, Ipape and Hardaker were both thwarted. However, the next attack down the left flank led to an overlap and Gareth O’Brien went behind the posts.
The final injustice for London came in the last minute when Tom Amone was stopped under the crossbar, but the ball squirted backwards and Aaron Pene dived over for a sixth Leigh try, again converted by Hardaker.
London Broncos: 23 Josh Rourke, 2 Lee Kershaw, 12 Ethan Natoli, 3 Jarred Bassett, 5 Iliess Macani, 20 Oli Leyland, 6 Jack Campagnolo, 19 Rhys Kennedy, 9 Sam Davis, 8 Rob Butler, 11 Will Lovell, 17 Sadiq Adebiyi, 15 Marcus Stock. Replacements: 4 Hakim Miloudi, 10 Lewis Bienek, 29 Jacob Jones, 34 Ugo Tison. 18th man: 21 Robbie Storey.
Tries: S Davis (15), Rourke (45)
Goals: Leyland 2/2
Sin-bin: Butler 29, late hit
Leigh Leopards: 3 Zak Hardaker, 34 Darnell McIntosh, 24 Umyla Hanley, 4 Ricky Leutele, 22 Keanan Brand, 1 Gareth O’Brien, 7 Lachlan Lamm, 8 Tom Amone, 9 Edwin Ipape, 35 Aaron Pene, 11 Kai O’Donnell, 16 Frankie Halton, 13 John Asiata, Replacements: 12 Jack Hughes, 15 Matt Davis, 17 Owen Trout, 33 Brad Dwyer. 18th man: 5 Josh Charnley
Tries: McIntosh (19), Halton (31), Leutele (38), O’Donnell (67), O’Brien (74), Pene (80)
Goals: Hardaker 4/7
Sin-bin: Asiata 26, late tackle
Referee: Jack Smith
HT: 6–12
Penalty awarded count: 5–6
Attendance: 1,950
