LEIGH Leopards scored three tries in the space of 10 minutes to rally from 14-2 down for a last-gasp 20-16 win over Warrington as they moved to within a single point of second-placed Wigan.
Warrington looked poised for a much-needed win to boost their rapidly fading play-off hopes after dominating for more than an hour of this game, building a lead on the back of a try-of-the-season contender created by Josh Thewlis and finished by Matt Dufty.
Josh Thewlis added a second and Marc Sneyd kicked three penalties, but Leigh pulled it out of the fire at the death with two tries from Umyla Hanley before Owen Trout got the winner in the 76th minute.
Leigh were heavy favourites after impressive wins against St Helens, Hull KR and Wigan but when Bailey Hodgson dropped a Sneyd kick two minutes in, it set the tone for a first half in which costly errors helped a much-improved Warrington side take control.
It took until the 20th minute for that pressure to show on the scoreboard through a Sneyd penalty after Joe Ofahengaue went in high on Sam Powell.
Gareth O’Brien levelled the scores when Wolves debutant Ryan Matterson – on for Connor Wrench who failed a head injury assessment – was late on Tesi Niu, but Thewlis then lit up Leigh Sports Village with a stunning run before offloading to Dufty.
Sneyd added another two points eight minutes into the second half after Leigh were offside, and moments later the Wolves had their second try.
Lachlan Fitzgibbon rescued a poor pass and found space to run down the left, feeding George Williams whose low kick was perfect for Jake Thewlis to cross in the corner for a 14-2 lead.
Dufty thought he had a second in the 64th minute, but video referee Marcus Griffiths overruled Liam Moore to disallow the try for obstruction.
It was a crucial decision as Leigh finally found some joy as Hanley narrowly got an out-stretched hand to O’Brien’s kick to give the Leopards hope in the 67th minute – the try standing after a lengthy check.
O’Brien added the extras to make it a one-try game but just four minutes later, the stand-off conceded a penalty and Sneyd split the posts from 47 metres to stretch Warrington’s lead to 16-8.
Toby King saw another Warrington try ruled out for a knock on, and with only five minutes left Hanley crossed down the right with O’Brien’s kick making it a two-point game.
Leigh were now pouring forward with belief, battering the Warrington defence with run after run, and Trout made it pay at the death.
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