Tigers & Leopards all square after extra time!
The Fords were all square away to the Leopards after golden point with both sides failing to nail a drop goal.
It was an end-to-end affair in Leigh as golden point still couldn’t decide the clash between the Leopards and the Tigers.
Tex Hoy was the man to get the tie underway as the Tigers travelled to Leigh. The Leopards looked to shift early, but a loose pass gave Cas possession early on.
Cas were in an arm wrestle early on with each side going set for set, a very strong start for each side but Leigh were the ones who looked dangerous after 10 minutes played.
It was Louis Senior who hit first for the Tigers when an interception saw the new recruit rush 80 metres to dot down.
Leigh had their first opportunity when Kai O’Donnell offloaded to Matt Moylan however the fullback lost the ball as he went to burst through the line.
Cas hit again minutes later when Tex Hoy skipped over and got over the line bumping Zak Hardaker over in his tracks.
The Fords thought they were in for another when Liam Watts broke the line, Tex Hoy picked the ball up and looped his pass to Louis Senior in the corner, but the referee gave forward pass against the Tigers fullback.
Elie El-Zakhem thought he’d barged over for his first Tigers try on the last tackle however the video referee had no reason to overturn the on-field call of no try.
Leigh put themselves back in the game as Lachlan Lam danced his way through the line, the PNG international then found Matt Moylan who found the whitewash putting the Leopards back in the game.
The Leopards clawed their way back into the game with minutes left in the first half a grubber kick at the line luckily bounced into the hands of Edwin Ipape on his return who dived over to put Leigh ahead by two.
A poor last 10-minute display for the Tigers as Josh Charnley found his way over the line moments after Ipape’s try with less than a minute to play in the first half.
The Tigers piled the pressure on early in the first half as they had multiple visits in the Leopards half, the video ref checked a possible Cas try after 10 minutes of the second half however, Corey Hall was unable to take a Jacob Miller cross-field kick.
Similar to the first half, a possible Tigers try is followed up with a Leopards try, a soft defensive display after being penalised allows Ricky Leutele to score.
Leigh thought they were in for another when a pass back inside found Leutele once again however scrambling Tigers defence held the centre up over the line.
Moments later Leigh had a try chalked off as Tex Hoy was tackled in the air.
Tex Hoy showed his class when a blindside play saw the fullback break the line and put Sam Wood under the posts to put Cas within 8 points off the hosts.
Just when Cas had a chance Lachlan Lam scored in the corner, after being sent up to the video ref the Tigers fans believed Lam had lost the ball however the try was given.
The Tigers then responded quickly when quality hands from the Cas left edge found in form Innes Senior who scored in the corner.
Louis Senior showed his class and composure as he dived over in the corner with 2 minutes to go, this was matched by a quality Rowan Milnes conversion from the touchline to go level.
It was end to end in golden point with both sides having chances to add the golden point drop goal. A last second Matt Moylan attempt was charged down forcing the game to a second half of extra time.
Matt Moylan was inches away from winning the game when his drop goal attempt hit the post. Lachlan Lam also came close in the dying seconds when his attempt went wide.
The Fords had an opportunity themselves in the last play of the game when Tex Hoy broke the line unfortunately his cut out pass was intercepted ending the game all square after extra time.
FULL TIME SCORE: LEIGH LEOPARDS 28-28 CASTLEFORD TIGERS
Castleford Tigers: Tex Hoy, Louis Senior, Corey Hall, Sam Wood, Innes Senior, Rowan Milnes, Jacob Miller, Liam Watts, Paul McShane, Joe Westerman, Alex Mellor, Elie El-Zakhem, George Hill.
Interchanges: Liam Horne, Sam Hall, Cain Robb, Brad Martin.
18th man: George Griffin.
Tries: L. Senior x2, Hoy, Wood, I.Senior
Conversions: Milnes x4
Leigh Leopards: Matt Moylan, Umyla Hanley, Zak Hardaker, Ricky Leutele, Josh Charnley, Ben McNamara, Lachlan Lam, Tom Amone, Brad Dwyer, Owen Trout, Kai O’Donnell, Frankie Halton, Jack Hughes.
Interchanges: Oliver Holmes, Matt Davis, Edwin Ipape, Louis Brogan.
18th man: Darnell Mcintosh.
Tries: Moylan, Ipape, Charnley, Leutele, Lam
Conversions: Moylan x4