Sale RUFC 3 Leigh RUFC 7

LEIGH’S amateurs won a famous victory at Heywood Road against more illustrious semi-professional opponents, knocking them from their lofty top-of-the-table position.

The win was largely based on a performance of total physicality at the ruck and in the tackle for the entire 80 minutes.

Leigh started strongly and were quickly on the attack with forwards and backs combining well.

Sale lost a prop to the sin bin but refused to concede.

Leigh missed two penalty chances, before Sale converted one on their first foray into Leigh territory.

Leigh lost prop Tom Baker and were forced to defend desperately until the interval.

Sale started the second period strongly but the welcome return of Baker saw the Leigh defence stay strong.

The siege was lifted when their back row Calvin Crompton made a storming run out of defence, scattering defenders in his wake.

Leigh seemed to sense the moment and threw everything into attack.

Wonderful quick hands by Wood, Baker, and Millard provided the opening for flanker Peter Ince to score on the left and he cleverly promoted the position for youngster Elliott Ryan to smack over the vital conversion.

Sale showed why they top the table and battered the visitors’ line but the Leigh defence under the schooling of coaches Vila Matautia and Mark Turner is a hard line to break.

The two big defensive plays were from second row Paul Hampson, and more significantly David Wood, who dislodged the ball from ex-Super League winger Kevin Penny when he seemed certain to score.