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Super League: Leigh Leopards see off Huddersfield as game completed after floodlight failure

Leigh Leopards held a 16-12 lead when the match was suspended on Friday due to floodlight failure; Edwin Ipape, John Asiata and Lachlan Lam all scored tries as they returned to complete victory over Huddersfield on Sunday afternoon

Sunday 3 September 2023 17:24, UK

Leigh Leopards' John Asiata celebrates scoring a try
Image: Leigh Leopards completed an impressive victory on Sunday

Leigh returned to the field two days after a floodlight failure to wrap up a bizarre 34-16 victory over Huddersfield in the Betfred Super League on Sunday.

The Leopards had led 16-12 when Friday's encounter was suspended in darkness with 48 minutes played at Leigh Sports Village.

Tries from Edwin Ipape, John Asiata and Lachlan Lam saw them finish with a flourish as the game was finally played to a conclusion some 42 hours later.

Image: Lachlan Lam was among the scorers for the hosts

Those scores added to the two tries scored by Josh Charnley and one by Tom Briscoe on Friday, while Ben Reynolds finished with five goals. The result tightened Leigh's grip on a play-off place and put another dent in Huddersfield's hopes of making the top six.

Leigh began the final 32 minutes on the offensive and, although two handling errors initially spared Huddersfield, they soon took firm command.

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The hosts declined a penalty kick at goal after a high shot on Zak Hardaker and the decision paid off as Ipape barged his way over by the posts. Reynolds converted to extend the advantage to 10 points.

Leigh threatened again when Lam burst through and kicked forward but Oliver Gildart could not quite touch down. The contest was not quite over as Sam Halsall did well to claim and wriggle over on the left to reduce the deficit but Jake Connor was unable to add the goal.

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The hosts ended any doubt over the result when Asiata powered through a gap to score in the closing minutes and Lam wrapped up the scoring with a fine individual effort.

Watson: Unfair having to resume game?

Huddersfield coach Ian Watson claims his side were treated unfairly after having to play out the final 32 minutes of their suspended clash rather than the game replayed in its entirety.

"We wanted an 80-minute game," Watson said. "We wanted to restart. You seem like you are moaning when you lose but they had two players in Asiata and (Tom) Amone who had only just gone off coming straight back on. They'd had 48 hours rest.

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With Leigh leading 16-12 against Huddersfield on Friday, the floodlights suddenly failed and caused the Super League match to be abandoned

"They wouldn't normally have come off for 30 seconds and then gone straight back on. I don't think it was fair to both teams. We had to travel back home on a coach. Leigh players would have been in bed while we were still travelling.

"We had a couple of players that couldn't play. Chris Hill and Adam Milner would have been good to go again on Friday because the adrenaline was there but as soon as they take their boots off, it's game over."

What's next?

Leigh Leopards travel to St Helens on Friday, live from 7.30pm on Sky Sports Mix (8pm ko), while Huddersfield host Hull KR the same evening. Stream the Super League and more with NOW.

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