Reserves defeat Leopards

[josie andrews]

* Wigan Warriors Reserves scored 10 tries to defeat Leigh Leopards Reserves at Sutton Park.

* Maddox Jeffery scored a first half hat-trick to help the Warriors maintain their unbeaten start to the season.

* FT | Leigh Leopards Reserves 36-50 Wigan Warriors Reserves.

WIGAN WARRIORS RESERVES SCORED 10 TRIES IN A CLINICAL PERFORMANCE TO DEFEAT LEIGH LEOPARDS RESERVES 50-36 AT SUTTON PARK.

An electric opening 40 minutes from the Warriors saw Maddox Jeffery score three of eight first half tries on a sunny afternoon in Leigh.

Reagan Sumner and Tom Ratchford crossed after the restart as the Warriors ran out winners despite two late Leopards tries to reduce the points difference.

Report

The Warriors came out the blocks with authority as they opened the scoring after three minutes when Ryan Hampshire found Maddox Jeffery on the right wing who powered over in the corner. On a windy afternoon in Leigh, Jack Farrimond was successful with his first attempt from the touchline to make the score 6-0.

Back-to-back penalties for Leigh were defended well by the Warriors, but after sustained pressure, the hosts went over through Ben Tyrer after he weaved through to score. Lewis Fairhurst converted to tie the score with 11 minutes on the clock.

Hampshire’s clever restart bounced out the back of Leigh’s in-goal area resulting in a goal line drop out, from which Farrimond would benefit as he found Finley Beardsworth who went over on the right hand side. Farrimond added the extras once more.

The Warriors’ momentum continued as Josh Cartwright was held up on the right flank, before Jacob Douglas punished the Leigh defence with his pace to score on the next play.

Douglas’ try would be the first of five Wigan tries within 10 minutes as the visitors quickly found their groove. Taylor Kerr cleverly stepped a Leigh defender before offloading to Tom Ratchford who set Reagan Sumner up beneath the sticks as Farrimond added the extras.

Wigan found more joy through the middle minutes later as Kerr powered through to slip in Kian McDermott 23 minutes into the contest, before a move on the right flank resulted in Cartwright passing wide to Jeffery who dived over in the corner for his second.

Jeffery completed his hat trick three minutes later when Ratchford’s clever pass from dummy half missed out a handful of defenders to find the winger who touched down.

Wigan’s momentum momentarily slowed down as Leigh looked to get a foothold back in the game. Ryan Lockett powered over on the right hand side to score with Fairhurst kicking successfully from the tee to cut the deficit by six.

As half time closed in, both teams crossed before the break to cancel each other out. First Zach Eckersley dived in on the left hand side for Wigan, before Lockett grounded a grubber kick to score his second for Leigh. Fairhurst maintained accuracy from the tee to send the sides into the break with Wigan 40-18 ahead.

The Warriors defended well after the break before Eckersley intercepted a Leigh pass before offloading to Douglas who was high-tackled as he approached the opposition try line. After back-to-back penalties on the resulting set, Sumner received the ball out wide to score the first try of the second half.

The home side carved a response five minutes later when Ralph Wood received the ball in the centre of the field before he bulldozed his way over through a wall of Wigan defenders to score under the posts. Fairhurst’s kick was good to shorten the Cherry and Whites’ comfortable lead.

Slick play from a selection of Warriors’ backs resulted in a goal line drop out from Leigh which Ratchford took advantage of as he dummied away from multiple defenders to score a fantastic solo score by the posts. Farrimond’s successful conversion saw the Warriors hit the 50 point mark.

As the game neared the end, the home side came away with two consolation tries. First Fairhurst stepped around the Wigan defence to score under the posts, before Luke Forber scored on the right wing. Fairhurst converted both tries to complete a perfect outing from the tee as an entertaining contest finished 50-36.

Leigh Leopards: Lewis Fairhurst, Alfie Whittle, Tom Nisbett, Jack Darbyshire, Luke Forber, Ben Tyrer, Matt Horrocks, Luke Sutcliffe, TJ Boyd, Lewis Baxter, Ryan Lockett, Bailey Pemberton, Jacob Gannon.

Interchanges: Callum Lowe, Sam Bardsley, Ralph Wood, Reece Stanton.

18th Player: Callum Gittins.

Tries: Tyrer (11′), Locket (32′, 39′), Wood (56′), Fairhurst (76′), Forber (78′).

Goals: Fairhurst (6/6).

Wigan Warriors: Reagan Sumner, Maddox Jeffery, Joshua Cartwright, Zach Eckersley, Jacob Douglas, Ryan Hampshire, Jack Farrimond, Ryan Brown, Tom Ratchford, Kian McDermott, Finley Beardsworth, Finlay Irwin, Taylor Kerr.

Interchanges: Harry Higham, Kalum Rathbone, Lukas Mason, Trent Kelly-Duffy.

18th Player: Charlie Yeomans.

Tries: Jeffery (3′, 25′, 28′), Beardsworth (15′), Douglas (17′), Sumner (20′, 51′), McDermott (23′), Eckersley (37′), Ratchford (65′).

Goals: Farrimond (5/10).

https://wiganwarriors.com/blog/2024/04/ ... -leopards/