Summary

  • FT: Leigh 12-10 St Helens

  • Leigh beat St Helens to reach first Challenge Cup final since 1971

  • Lussick try gives St Helens 6-0 lead at the break

  • Leigh hit back to lead with tries from Holmes & Hardaker

  • Lomax scores late try to give Saints hope but Makinson misses conversion

  1. This game is alivepublished at 15:38 British Summer Time 22 July 2023

    Leigh 6-6 St Helens

    John Kear
    Wales coach on BBC One

    What. A. Try. It's all come from the field position from the penalty. That's such an important score.

    This move will have been rehearsed on the training ground time and time again.

    And that was a pressure kick for Ben Reynolds and he's absolutely nailed it. This game is alive.

  2. Postpublished at 45 mins

    Leigh 6-6 St Helens

    Tommy Makinson's missed penalty for St Helens on the verge of half-time looks a bit more costly now, eh?

    Leigh look a different side in the few minutes we've had since the restart.

  3. try

    TRY: Leigh 6-6 St Helenspublished at 42 mins

    Oliver Holmes, goal Ben Reynolds

    Oliver Holmes scores for Leigh against St HelensImage source, Getty Images

    A stunning start to the second half for Leigh!

    This try comes from a perfectly-timed Lachlan Lam offload to Oliver Holmes who finds a gap in the St Helens defence and races through to touch down.

    Ben Reynolds, meanwhile, adds the two and it's all square!

  4. SECOND HALFpublished at 40 mins

    Leigh 0-6 St Helens

    Right then, we're back under way at a chilly, drizzly and grey Warrington.

    What's that? It's JULY? My word.

    Leigh get us going for the second half.

  5. 'Leigh are still in this'published at 15:27 British Summer Time 22 July 2023

    HT: Leigh 0-6 St Helens

    Jamie Jones-Buchanan
    Former England and Leeds second-rower on BBC One

    Leigh will be happy with they way they have weathered the storm. St Helens have a history of blowing teams away but Leigh are still in this.

    Tommy Makinson normally nails those kicks. That miss at the end could cost them after 80 minutes.

    Winning is a habit and Leigh have won a lot of games this season. They have had a lot of energy drained out of them but the prize is huge.

  6. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 15:25 British Summer Time 22 July 2023

    #bbcrl, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    Michael Lavelle: I think both sides will be going in wondering how the score is only 6-0 at half-time.

    David Beeston: Saints dominant in that first half. Leigh done brilliant to hold on.

  7. One-way trafficpublished at 15:24 British Summer Time 22 July 2023

    HT: Leigh 0-6 St Helens

    Jon Wilkin
    Former St Helens forward on BBC One

    It's been one-way traffic through the stats and through the plays. It's been a great half of rugby league. Adrian Lam will be be saying, "it's not been great but we are far from out of the game. We haven't been consumed".

    I don't think they they will be disappointed with the score; they need to stick to the process.

  8. Tackles an 'energy-sapper' for Leighpublished at 15:22 British Summer Time 22 July 2023

    HT: Leigh 0-6 St Helens

    Lois Forsell
    Former England hooker on BBC One

    You could tell what St Helens were trying to do and they stuck to their game plan.

    The number of tackles [made by Leigh] is going to be a real energy-sapper.

    Leigh will be grateful to get in at half-time and speak to their coach.

  9. Leigh must get Lam in the gamepublished at 15:19 British Summer Time 22 July 2023

    HT: Leigh 0-6 St Helens

    Kevin Brown
    Former England international half-back on BBC One

    St Helens' Jack Welsby is tackledImage source, PA Media

    They're behind, but, of the two sides, I think Leigh will be the happier with the scoreline. The fatigue is really setting in for them now though.

    But Lachlan Lam is quality. Every time he gets the ball he is dangerous; they need to get him the ball.

  10. Postpublished at 15:17 British Summer Time 22 July 2023

    HT: Leigh 0-6 St Helens

    John Kear
    Wales coach on BBC One

    It's been a great half. It's been a war. It's not meant to be easy to get to Wembley for a final. It's been physical and so draining.

  11. Half-timepublished at 15:16 British Summer Time 22 July 2023

    Leigh 0-6 St Helens

    This is looking more of a tighter game after Tommy Makinson's missed penalty goal attempt.

    Leigh have weathered quite the storm from St Helens, but Saints only have six points to show for it.

    This semi-final is still in the balance.

  12. MISSED PENALTYpublished at 40 mins

    Leigh 0-6 St Helens

    St Helens are awarded a penalty after Leigh are penalised for a ball steal.

    Saints decide to go for the two but Tommy Makinson misses as his kick sails wide!

  13. Postpublished at 39 mins

    Leigh 0-6 St Helens

    St Helens are held up during a promising attack after Jonny Lomax puts in a pretty obvious forward pass to Tommy Makinson.

    Despite that, Saints are carrying the momentum into the end of this first half.

  14. Postpublished at 38 mins

    Leigh 0-6 St Helens

    Better stuff from Leigh, but they're still a good 25 metres out after a wave of offensive moves.

    Not long left in the half and they're going to need something special to breach the St Helens defence right now.

  15. Postpublished at 34 mins

    Leigh 0-6 St Helens

    Jack Welsby returns to the field for St Helens who are back to full strength.

    Leigh win a set restart shortly after he returns but they're not quite past halfway yet.

    Can they make a dash to level the scores before the break? Or are they just hoping to get to half-time without conceding further?

  16. Can Leigh withstand the strain?published at 15:06 British Summer Time 22 July 2023

    Leigh 0-6 St Helens

    John Kear
    Wales coach on BBC One

    You have to admire the effort of this Leigh side. They have been under the cosh almost incessantly. But they have come up with answers time and time again - apart from the one try. But how draining is this going to be?

  17. Postpublished at 30 mins

    Leigh 0-6 St Helens

    Jack Welsby is shown a green card after coming off worse in a challenge with Leigh's Edwin Ipape.

    St Helens are down to 12 for the next two minutes.

  18. Postpublished at 30 mins

    Leigh 0-6 St Helens

    It's all St Helens right now.

    They're a constant threat going forward and as the half's progressed, Leigh have found little option but to set up camp right in front of the sticks.

    10 minutes left in the half, can Saints wear them down and score again before the hooter?

  19. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 15:02 British Summer Time 22 July 2023

    #bbcrl, WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (UK only, standard message rates apply)

    Michael Lavelle: Josh Charnley take a bow, what a tackle!

  20. Postpublished at 28 mins

    Leigh 0-6 St Helens

    It's been a difficult half for Leigh, who've had little in the way of attacking threat but have been forced to defend for much of the tie so far.

    Speaking of defence, Josh Charnley puts in a stunning last-ditch tackle to deny Tommy Makinson from diving in at the corner from a swift Jonny Lomax offload.