Leigh Leopards boss’ verdict after incredible victory over Leeds Rhinos as controversial referee decision questioned

Leigh Leopards boss Adrian Lam has reflected on tonight’s incredible victory over Leeds Rhinos.

The Leopards beat the table-toppers 20-14 at Headingley, ending the Rhinos’ 100% win record at home this season.

Innes Senior crossed for a try double, with Josh Charnley opening the scoring for Leigh, cancelling out Ryan Hall’s second-minute try.

Umyla Hanley added the only try of the second half, with the England hopeful setting a marker in his performance, getting the better of fellow hopeful Ash Handley on a number of occasions.

“Obviously, we’re very happy and very pleased”, were his first words to the press, before he added: “It was just a completely different game than what we’re used to, just defending the whole second half.

“I guess the words courage come to mind, and just mateship and one that we needed to win and find a way. I’m really pleased, I thought they hung in there together, and it probably was the best that they hung in all year, which is important.”

Asked if it was the side’s best defensive effort of the year, Lam replied: “[It’s] up there. We needed to defend well tonight if we were going to win, but I didn’t think we’d get that level of commitment to each other.

“That’s not me being negative, that’s just the reality of it. We’ve been a bit inconsistent with the way that we’ve played… so I thought when [Ryan] Hall scored at the end there, it just broke everybody’s heart, but to see it go up, and then the foot crossed the line, was a relief really, because I thought we deserved to win that off the back of the efforts.”

Leigh Leopards boss calls for answers after controversial refereeing moment

Following that no try call, Leeds gained possession again, and a monster kick from Jake Connor looked to be a 40/20. David Armstrong got a hand to it and tapped it back in play, but after referee Chris Kendall stopped the game to check the restart, it left Lam questioning if he was “allowed to do that.”

“I was really frustrated at the [40/20] decision because I don’t know if that’s legal. I don’t know yet whether he was allowed to go up and check that. Can anyone clarify that here? If the referee is allowed to do that?

“I don’t want that to be the talking point of the game, but there were several six agains that went against us, and we didn’t get one penalty, we didn’t get one six again the whole second half

“I think it was like 15. If you add up the pressure releases against us, it was about 15 penalties and six agains, and then that call came, I was brewing up because I just felt that we didn’t get a single call.

“There was a lot of moments where it could have been a little bit more consistent with getting a six again and it wasn’t given. And that’s the way that he [Kendall] refereed the night. There was nothing given the whole time.”

Going back to his decision to stop play, Lam said: “Is he allowed to do that? Is he allowed to go up and check that? I don’t think he is unless it’s a captain’s challenge, which it’s not a stopping point to challenge that, because the touch judge’s flag didn’t go up.

“I’ll get clarity on that, but just- come on. Anyway, we’ll see how that unfolds on Monday.”