Two second-half tries from Joe Ofahengaue ensured Leigh Leopards of their first win at St Helens since 1982 as they kept the pressure on at the top of the Super League.

After two first-half Gareth O’Brien penalties, Ofahengaue came up with a match-winning double to settle a tight game of high intensity between fourth place and third, with Harry Robertson’s score a late consolation missed by the many Saints fans who had already left.

St Helens came into the night on a run of five straight wins but their own climb up the table was halted as Leigh added the Saints’ scalp to those of top two Hull KR and Wigan, both already beaten at home by Adrian Lam’s men this month.

True to the recent form book this was a hard-fought defensive battle, with the tension obvious inside the Totally Wicked Stadium.

Video referee Jack Smith was kept busy in the first half, confirming that Owen Dagnall and Moses Mbye had both come close but not close enough to touching down for Saints, while there was an offside in the build-up to a score from Ofahengaue at the other end.

Leigh then got a penalty when Matt Whitley did not clear away and O’Brien chose to take on a difficult kick, splitting the posts for a 2-0 lead.

The Leopards kept on the pressure. After Josh Charnley powered his way through a series of tackles they were in touching distance of the line, but Whitley got a in vital touch as Ofahengaue chased down Edwin Ipape’s kick.

As time ticked down in the half, Tristan Sailor and Kyle Feldt both made a mess of dealing with a booming kick from Lachlan Lam and a determined Tesi Niu chased down Sailor and dragged him back across the try line.

After Feldt’s kick went out on the full O’Brien, who had missed a second penalty in the 31st minute, had an easy job of doubling Leigh’s slim advantage.

Saints did a better job of building pressure at the start of the second half but without reward, and they were then hit with a sucker-punch just before the hour as Leigh, barely seen as an attacking force, struck when Ofahengaue powered his way under the posts.

Saints looked short of ideas as their frustration grew in the face of an increasingly confident Leigh defence, and with less than three minutes to go, Feldt failed to catch a high kick and Ofahengaue scooped up the ball to get the decisive second.

Robertson crossed in the corner late on but it did little to dampen the celebrations of the Leigh fans in front of him.

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