Match Report: Leigh Leopards Reserves 34 Leeds Rhinos Reserves 24

Bu Guy Harvey 

The Rhinos Reserves kicked off their season by traveling across the Pennines to take on the Leigh Leopards, led by former Salford centre Stuart Littler, who recently assumed control of the Reserves team. With Leigh boasting a number of players with Super League experience, it was set to be a challenging physical encounter for Tony Smith’s squad.

Leeds were first out of the traps, scoring five minutes into the game in the shape of Ned McCormack. Leeds moved the ball quickly from left to right through hands well, before reaching McCormack with a big enough gap ahead of him to crash over for the four-pointer. Minutes later Leigh responded after an error close to their own line from Leeds, allowed Leigh a set-in close range. Lewis Baxter crashed over in similar fashion to the Leeds try making the score 6-4 to the home.

Leigh began to build quite a lead crossing again minutes later when hooker Tommy Porter spotted enough space to dive over from dummy half. With Leeds struggling to gain momentum through errors and penalties, Leigh were enjoying plenty of possession in the Rhinos half and they made the advantage count by scoring again with Jacob Gannon scoring by the posts following a cut out pass from half back Ben McNamara fooled the Leeds defence and made the score 18-4 with McNamara successfully kicking his conversions.

Leeds hit back though, half back Jack Sinfield running at the line in dangerous form and firing out a pass to Ben Littlewood running behind the attacking line allowing enough room to find a gap in the defensive line of Leigh and dive over for the his first of the game. But with only minutes left in half Leigh would score again to take a strong hold of the game at half time. This time Leopards back rower Callum Disley would cross over on the right flank with ease sending the home side in at half time leading 24-8 and a tough second half ahead for the Rhinos.

Leeds got caught cold early in the second half however with Leigh hooker Tommy Porter again diving over from dummy half for the first try of the half and the score increase to 30-8. The Rhinos hit back four minutes later though when half back Jack Sinfield showed his talent running the ball from close range and after throwing the dummy pass opening the Leigh defence ahead of him a twist by the posthelped him evade the Leigh fullback and score his first of the game which he also converted.

Leigh was next on the scoresheet in odd fashion when a dropout fell to Tom Nesbitt, he spotted the Leeds defence rushing towards and immediately kicked the ball back, winning the race for the ball to score. The game then became quite a penalty fest between the two sides getting to grips with the new laws of the game. With ten minutes to go in the half Leeds made the charge to attempt to snatch the win, firstly Jack Sinfield again showing his skill scoring an almost carbon copy of his first try and successfully converting making the score 34-20.

Leeds were having some joy in attack and keeping the ball alive well with plenty of offloads and quick hands. Seeing Ben Littlewood prosper from the efforts of his side crossing over to the left edge but with seconds left on the clock it would be too little too late and the young Rhinos suffer a defeat.

Leigh Leopards

Lewis Fairhurst
Alfie Whittle
Tom Nisbett
Ed Chamberlain
Jack Darbyshire
Ben McNamara
Matt Horrocks
Louis Brogan
Tommy Porter
Lewis Baxter
Callum Disley
Oliver Holmes
Jacob Gannon
TJ Boyd
Sam Bardsley
Bailey Pemberton
Reece Stanton

18^th Man Luke Sutcliffe

Leeds Rhinos

Alfie Edgell
Riley Lumb
Ned McCormack
Jack Smith
Joshua Gillespie
Fergus McCormack
Jack Sinfield
Kieran Hudson
Corey Johnson
Freddie Brennan-Jones
Ben Littlewood
Harrison Gilmore
Thomas Nicholson-Walton
Mason Corbett
Bobby Hartley
Ashton Robinson
Kyden Frater

18^th Man Joe Phillips