It was fourth against seventh on a night which could see a big shuffling of positions at the top end of the table and depending on results elsewhere could have seen the home side Leigh into second spot, or the visitors from Hull KR into third.
Leigh were favourites with the bookies, Hull KR having been given a six-point start on the coupon, but it was Hull KR who came into the fixture on the back of a two-game winning run while the Leopards lost a close match in the south of France against the Catalans Dragons last weekend.
It promised to be a close encounter between two sides with big play-off hopes.
KR put their kick-off out on the full, an early show of nerves, and it got worse on three minutes when Mikey Lewis slid in on Tom Briscoe who was collecting the dead ball and the KR scrum half was yellow carded for delaying the restart.
On nine minutes Tom Briscoe somehow avoided being barged into touch by a robust tackle as he grounded in the right corner, centimetres from the corner flag. Ben Reynolds kicked the touchline conversion for a deserved 6-0 lead to the Leopards.
Edwin Ipape took an inside pass from Lachlan Lam on twelve minutes and took advantage of the wet conditions as he slid over the line from five metres out, under the tackle of a couple of KR players. Reynolds hit the post with his conversion attempt, but his side were 10-0 ahead after a near perfect start.
The third try came on seventeen minutes, Ed Chamberlain taking the Lam pass, throwing a dummy, and then dragging his tackler over the line to score. Reynolds was on target this time; Leigh absolutely rampant.
Reynolds missed a simple penalty on twenty-two minutes as Leigh plateaued and KR started to get some purchase, but it was to no avail.
Six minutes before the interval Josh Charnley took a miss-out pass from Gareth O’Brien to cross in the corner with no KR defender within ten metres of him. Reynolds was again on target for 22-0 at the interval, the Leopards in total control.
On forty-eight Ricky Leutele hacked a spilled ball forwards into goal but was tackled without the ball by Matt Parcell. Referee Griffiths sent the decision up as a penalty try and the video referee agreed. Reynolds was on target, the points in the bag for the home side.
The lead was extended on sixty-five after a barnstorming run from ten metres out as Rob Mulhern stretched for the line. Reynolds added the conversion as Mulhern was helped from the field after getting injured in scoring the try.
Ten minutes form the end of the match Lewis threw a dummy and went in past Reynolds to avoid KR going home without a point. The conversion attempt from Rowan Mills went wide, KR finishing the game thirty points behind with a 4-34 loss.
This was a stunning and comprehensive performance from the 2023 surprise package as the Leigh Leopards went second in the table to the Catalans Dragons with a demolition of a Hull KR side who have impressed themselves elsewhere this season. It was a brilliant team performance, bossed by the commanding Lachlan Lam, and the visiting Robins had no answer.
Leigh Leopards: O’Brien, Briscoe (T), Hardaker, Leutele (T), Charnley (T), Reynolds (5G), Lam, Mulhern (T), Ipape (T), Amone, Chamberlain (T), Holmes, Asiata. Subs: Hughes, Nakubuwai, Mellor, Norman. 18th Man: Davis.
Hull KR: Zenon, Yaha, Opacic, Kenny-Dowall, Hall R, Lewis (T, SB on 3), Milnes, Luckley, Litten, King, Hadley, Linnett, Minchella. Subs: Parcell, Kennedy, Storton, Aydin. 18th Man: Hall C.
Half-Time: 22-0.
Full-Time: 34-4.
Score Progression: (SB), 4-0, 6-0, 10-0, 14-0, 16-0, 20-0, 22-0 : HT: 26-0, 28-0, 32-0, 34-0, 34-4 :FT.
Lead Exchanges: Leigh.
Referee: Marcus Griffiths.
