POOR ball control and a pack that was out-enthused and out-muscled by a much hungrier Leopards’ six were the key reasons behind Saints’ demise in the final regular round of Super League.
Although the game was intense, tight, and was only settled in the closing minutes by a Josh Charnley try, both sides got their just deserts from a game in which Saints were second best in every department.
It was no secret that Leigh were always going to attack the game with some serious ferocity, given defeat would have meant their season being over.
And that was spearheaded in defence by the Exocet launches of hooker Edwin Ipape, who repeatedly launched himself into the ribcages of the Saints ball carriers to set a tone.
Saints, too, were playing for something – a win that would have secured a home draw – but they never really look like achieving that.
It is possible to cling to some crumbs of positivity that the game may have mapped out differently had Tommy Makinson’s early try not harshly been chalked off for an obstruction in Sione Mata’utia’s dummy run.
But that is quite a reach given the only period that Saints were remotely in the ascendancy was when they had a numerical advantage with Ricky Leutele in the sin-bin.
That mid-second half period enabled Saints to get back on level terms after first half tries from John Asiata and Leutele had put the hosts 12-0 at the break.
A well-taken Makinson try on the flank in the tightest of spaces, showed us what we are going to miss next year and gave Saints a toe-hold in the game.
And before Leutele’s return Morgan Knowles had collected a kick engineered by a Mark Percival tap back to send the crowd into raptures.
But ultimately the game was settled off the back of Saints error with Mata’utia spilling the ball bringing it of the line providing Leigh with the perfect platform for Charnley to race in for the winner.
Poor ball control was the story of the match and that was underlined in their last attacking play of the game when James Bell dropped it – and there was a collective groan from travelling support.
Fingers will be pointed at Saints’ lack of creativity – and a failure to come up with a scoring opportunity when they did have the two good ball sets on the Leigh line.
That weakness was highlighted by Lewis Dodd getting tackled on the last in one set and then James Bell scuffing a grubber at the end of another – but that was a secondary issue.
Dropped balls and penalties not only stunted their ability to build any pressure in the Leigh end and did the reverse on their line.
But a bigger concern was getting absolutely rattled by the Leigh pack which often meant Lewis Dodd and Jonny Lomax were kicking on the back foot.
It is unfortunate that by robbing Peter to pay Paul in moving Mata’utia to the centres they have lost one of their punchier packmen whilst leaving that edge vulnerable to quick feet.
With Alex Walmsley out sick, allied to the continued absence of Curtis Sironen with a pulled calf, it meant Saints were light in the pack – although the cameo appearance of Noah Stephens did show promise.
Although they will get those bodies back this week, getting more punch and power in that pack and a forward that can dent the line is an area that will give Saints food for thought ahead of next year.
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