LEOPARDS' GOALDEN MOMENT..

To help lift first silver for 52 years

- DAVE CRAVEN

ICE-COOL picked the perfect his moment to slot first-ever drop goal to fire Leigh to glory in the most dramatic Challenge Cup Final finish yet.

For the first time, rugby league's Wembley showpiece went into golden-point extratime yesterday.

And it was the Papuan stand-off who held his nerve for the side coached by his dad Adrian, sealing the club's first cup glory in 52 years with his 84th-minute clincher.

Team-mate Gareth O'Brien had already narrowly missed one effort for Leigh - who were playing in the Championship last year and Hull KR's Brad Schneider was off target, too.

When O'Brien lined up his next effort, he was chased down by the Rovers defence, so forced the ball onto Lam, who dropped deep in anticipation.

The brilliant No.7, who orchestrated most of Leigh's best moves, then delivered in front of around 15,000 ecstatic fans more than a third of the Lancashire town's entire population to send them wild.

Lam Jnr, who also scored a try and won the Lance Todd Trophy while breaking Hull KR hearts, said: "It felt so special.

"I went to celebrate and then I was on my back.

"It was amazing - and it was my first professional field goal. I've never scored one before.

"I think maybe I got one in a reserve-grade game! "We've done a lot of work in the last month coming into this time of year.

"We want to play in big games and you'll be up against quality opposition if you do.