Leigh Leopards’ extraordinary journey in the Betfred Super League persisted as they narrowly defeated Salford Red Devils 14-6 in an intense elimination play-off match.
Marc Sneyd’s 28th-minute penalty goal was the sole separator of the two teams at half-time, capping an energetic and fiercely contested first half. The game took place before a record crowd at AJ Bell Stadium.
Josh Charnley’s landmark 248th Super League try sparked Leigh’s momentum, despite his subsequent departure due to injury. Gareth O’Brien’s try, following a break from Edwin Ipape, further solidified Leigh’s position. Papuan star Ipape’s solo effort in the final 15 minutes secured their advancement, bringing them within 80 minutes of their maiden Grand Final appearance. Despite Ethan Ryan’s late, unconverted try and Jack Hughes receiving a yellow card, Leigh’s defence held firm.
The Leopards’ victory was all the more remarkable given the absence of pivotal second-row Kai O’Donnell and the early loss of Frankie Halton to a head injury. Salford’s coach Paul Rowley made a noteworthy decision to bench Ryan Brierley for the first time in two years in favour of Chris Hankinson, who had an initial effort disallowed following a kick from Sneyd.
Leigh’s first significant threat emerged just before half-time when Zak Hardaker initiated a key play, and they maintained pressure immediately after the break by forcing successive goal-line drop-outs. The breakthrough occurred shortly after Salford appeared to have staved off a period of intense pressure, only for Leigh to capitalise on a prior knock-on. From the scrum, Ipape’s tactical play allowed Charnley to score an acrobatic try.
Leigh extended their lead soon after when Oliver Partington’s slip enabled Ipape to make a decisive run, culminating in a perfectly timed pass to O’Brien, whose conversion took the lead to eight points. Ipape’s third and final try, following Charnley’s injury, all but guaranteed Leigh’s semi-final spot.
Salford’s Ethan Ryan managed a late try, which went unconverted by Sneyd, but it was insufficient to challenge Leigh’s firmly established lead. Leigh head coach Adrian Lam expressed immense pride in his team’s resilience and dedication, highlighting Charnley’s condition, stating, “Josh Charnley is on his way to hospital. He’s in a brace and he’s on his way there. But he is conscious and fingers crossed he is okay.”
Player of the match Edwin Ipape acknowledged the team’s collective efforts and the critical importance of recent victories, stating, “It’s been a massive two weeks for the club, and we’ve had a massive three weeks leading into this game where if we hadn’t won as many games as we had, we wouldn’t be in the position to win tonight.”
Meanwhile, Salford’s head coach Paul Rowley commended his team’s performance in the first half and acknowledged the competitive nature of the match: “I’m very proud of them. I thought we had the better of the first half and Leigh had the better of the second half. I think it was a really good game – a real cup-final affair.”
Leigh Leopards are now poised to face either Wigan Warriors or Hull KR in the upcoming play-off semi-finals, dependent on the results of the eliminator between Warrington Wolves and St Helens.
