The Challenge Cup final between Hull KR and Leigh Leopards at Wembley had finished 16-16 at full-time; both Gareth O'Brien and Brad Schneider missed drop-goal attempts before Lam slotted over the winner in the 83rd minute
Saturday 12 August 2023 17:45, UK
Lachlan Lam's golden-point drop goal saw Leigh Leopards snatch a 17-16 win over Hull Kingston Rovers and secure the club's first Challenge Cup triumph for over half a century.
The Leopards held a slender two-point lead at half-time thanks a try from Lachlan Lam and three goals from Ben Reynolds, with the Robins responding through Jez Litten's try plus a conversion and penalty from Brad Schneider.
Rovers' task was not helped by Elliot Minchella becoming the first player to be sin-binned in a Challenge Cup final for 22 years in the first half, but scrum-half Schneider's kicking ensured the Yorkshire side were back on level terms soon after the restart.
Tom Briscoe's converted try with 15 minutes to go put the Leopards back in front, but Matt Parcell's finish and Schneider's conversion sent the contest into extra-time. Leigh's Gareth O'Brien and Hull KR's Schneider then both missed drop-goal attempts before Lam slotted the winner.
Both teams arrived at Wembley aiming to end a long wait for Challenge Cup glory, with Hull KR aiming to make up for the heartbreak of their most recent final appearances in 1986 and 2015 and lift the trophy for the first time in 43 years.
For Leigh, meanwhile, this was their first time in the final since they triumphed in rugby league's most prestigious knock-out competition since 1971 and they claimed the early advantage when stand-off Reynolds kicked them ahead from a penalty in the fifth minute.
That had been preceded by another tackle at the knees of Kane Linnett from Leopards skipper John Asiata similar to the ones which drew so much criticism their semi-final win over St Helens, although it was the Robins who were penalised by referee Chris Kendall for instigating the fracas which followed.
Nevertheless, Hull KR took the lead 10 minutes later on the back of Reynolds missing another penalty kick at goal after Ryan Hall, passed fit to play in the final, caught the ball and set in motion a counter-attack which was finished by loose forward Minchella breaking and passing for hooker Litten to go over for a converted try.
Leigh were back in front on the 27th minute though, capitalising on an error at a play-the-ball in his own half by second row Linnett, and it was Lam who started and finished the move as the scrum-half exchanged passes with Kai O'Donnell before diving over under the posts for a converted score.
Minchella's yellow card three minutes later, the first to be shown in a Challenge Cup final since Bradford Bulls' Shane Rigon was sin-binned at Twickenham in 2001, saw Reynolds add a second penalty goal to extend his side's lead and leave Hull KR temporarily down to 12 men.
But the Leopards were unable to capitalise on that period with the extra man and two Schneider penalties either side of half-time pulled the Robins level at 10-10 within six minutes of the restart.
Briscoe, scorer of five tries in Leeds Rhinos' win over Hull KR in the 2015 final, looked to have inflicted more Wembley heartbreak on Rovers when he was sent racing over in the right corner for a try 15 minutes from time by full-back Gareth O'Brien, followed by Reynolds adding the extras.
But there was to be another twist in the tale in the dying seconds as Willie Peters' side mounted one final attack which resulted in hooker Parcell finishing from Scheinder's kick, although Hull KR faced an agonising wait before video referee Liam Moore eventually confirmed the try after repeat viewings.
Schneider's conversion sent the final into golden point for the first time in the competition's history and it was Leigh who had the first chance to settle it, only for O'Brien's effort to go wide of the mark.
Scheinder, the golden-point hero for Hull KR in their semi-final win over Wigan Warriors, then missed a long-range effort, with Lam putting the seal on the contest from the Leopards' next attack - joining his father and head coach Adrian Lam as a cup winner as a player and sparking wild celebrations.
Hull KR return to Super League action and the push to secure a play-off place on Friday, August 18 when they travel to St Helens (8pm). Leigh Leopards host leaders Catalans Dragons the following afternoon, live on Sky Sports (3pm).
