How many rugby league games have finished 1-0 after Leigh Leopards’ historic win?

Leigh Leopards and Wigan Warriors played out a slice of rugby league history on Thursday night, with the most spectacular scoreline leading to an epic victory for the Leopards.

Gareth O’Brien’s drop goal secured a 1-0 win for Adrian Lam’s side against all the odds, clinching Leigh’s first win at Wigan for a staggering 42 years, dating all the way back to 1983.

But the result broke a plethora of other records too – and the one we’re obsessed with right now is the final scoreline of 1-0.

It got us thinking: how many times in history has that scoreline actually occurred? The short answer: not many at all!

We think, having checked the record books, that last night’s game was only the fourth time EVER at professional level in the United Kingdom that a game has finished 1-0. Out of tens of thousands of matches: maybe more!

The early years of rugby league’s existence had a wealth of 0-0 games – Wigan’s first ever season, for example, saw them draw 0-0 five times in just a few short months. But 1-0? Well, that’s a lot more rare.

But there is one honourable mention to include too, which we’ll get to at the end. But here are the other three games which Wigan 0-1 Leigh on February 13, 2025 becomes part of a very exclusive club with!

Hull KR 0-1 Barrow – October 1994

As you’ll have no doubt read everywhere, the last professional game in the United Kingdom to finish 1-0 was over 30 years ago in the old Second Division as Barrow won 1-0 at Craven Park against Hull KR.

Mike Kavanagh kicked the winning drop goal to clinch victory for the Cumbrians – who had current Raiders head coach Paul Crarey in their side that day.

Only 1,792 people were there to see that game, incidentally: Rovers is a lot busier these days!

Warrington 0-1 Workington Town – November 1979

You then have to go all the way back to 1979 to find the next instance of a game finishing 1-0 – and this is actually the only other time a game in the top division has concluded with that exact scoreline.

Wilderspool was the scene for another Cumbrian 1-0 win, this time for Workington Town against Warrington.

Dewsbury 1-0 York – February 1977

Two years earlier, Crown Flats was the setting for the first ever 1-0 in rugby league history according to the records!

On February 20, 1977, York made the trip to West Yorkshire and won 1-0 – but there’s not much known about who played that night. So if you know who kicked the winning drop goal and has a place in history alongside the likes of Mike Kavanagh and Gareth O’Brien, do let us know!

With one more honourable mention..

Of course, any rugby league hipster worth their salt will know that there was another very notorious 1-0 game – albeit not at professional, first-team level.

That game in 2006 in the Academy Grand Final when Leeds Rhinos won 1-0 at the MKM Stadium in a truly bizarre game. It featured stars of the future including Ryan Hall, Lee Smith, and Craig Hall – with Chris Chester also playing for Hull despite definitely not being at academy age!

The biggest star of that day? The man who kicked the one-pointer: future England scrum-half Luke Gale!

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