NFP Round 24 Widnes Vikings 9 Leigh Centurions 6
By Dave Parkinson
Widnes stepped up their "Super League Challenge" with a third tense game against Leigh in front of a bumper 5000 crowd at the Autoquest stadium.
Narrowly defeated in both Challenge Cup and League meetings this term, Leigh wanted to make amends while Widnes were looking to maintain their recent run into the play-offs.
The game was barely a minute old when Mark Hewitt forced a drop out with a clever kick that almost fooled Paul Wingfield.
A ferocious opening spell was punctuated with handling errors as both teams struggled to gain advantage.
The Centurions first real chance of the game came from the boot of Keiron Purtill as his lofted kick swirled in the breeze and fell to Ken Kerr who in-turn fed Paul Wingfield only for the Widnes cover to deny a score.
Former Kiwi international and Leigh player George Mann was a thorn in the Centurions side all afternoon with an influential pack performance and it was he who intercepted a loose ball and charged before a great tackle by Stuart Donlan halted the big man.
Dave Ingram had a try disallowed for Leigh while at the other end Chris Percival was held short as the Centurions stepped up their defensive efforts.
Purtill's kicking game continued to cause problems for the home side but Jmes Arkwright couldn't hold a well placed grubber kick that would have certainly given the former Saint a 32nd minute try.
Three minutes later, the Centurions should have again taken the lead when Purtill was obstructed during a scything run, but the usually dependable Wingfield hooked his penalty attempt wide of the uprights.
Widnes hit back with hooker Cantillon (an increasingly dominant figure in the midfield) making good ground and Hewitt gave the home side the narrowest of leads with his 6th field goal of the season a minute from the break.
The Vikings made a great start to the second half and thought they had scored when James Briers sent Simon Verbickas over in the corner, but referee Presley spotted a forward pass and the try was ruled out.
Leigh's pattern changed with the introduction of Safraz Patel in the 49th minute, a tactical replacement for the hardworking Higham. This move reaped dividends when Patel latched onto a loose pass from Cruckshank, and slipped through for a Wingfield converted try after 51 minutes.
As Leigh entered the final quarter Patel attempted a long pass from within his own half. Hero turned villain when the predatory Paul Mannson intercepted the pass and raced under the posts unopposed. Hewitt's simple conversion gave Widnes a 7-6 lead with 19 minutes left.
Widnes looked to have scored a second try five minutes later but this was disallowed on the intervention of a touch judge. However, from this incident the Vikings were awarded a penalty and Hewitt converted.
Purtill's boot created late chances for Wingfield and Kerr but the Centurions lacked a clinical edge as Widnes scrambling defence held firm for a third close victory of the season over Leigh for the Vikings.
Widnes Vikings: 9
Threequarters: Munro, P. Smith, Percival, Briers, Verbickas
Halfbacks: Mannson, Hewitt
Forwards: Hansen, Cantillon, Savelio, Mann (c), Adams, Hulme
Substitutes: Myler, D. Smith, Hassan, Hill
Try: Mannson (61)
Goals: Hewitt 2 (from 2)
Drop Goal: Hewitt
Defeated
Leigh Centurions: 6
Threequarters: Donlan, Wingfield, Ingram, Kerr, Arkwright
Halfbacks: Bowker, Purtill
Forwards: Street, Higham, Cruickshank, Anderson, Kendrick, Kennedy (c)
Substitutes: Norman, Halliwell, Patel, Whittle
Try: Patel (51)
Goals: Wingfield 1 (from 2)
Halftime: 0-1 to Widnes.
Attendance: 5230 @ The Autoquest Stadium, Widnes (Largest crowd in the Premiership this season)
Gamestars:
Widnes: Cantillon / Mann - hooker / 2nd Row Forward
Leigh: Purtill / Cruickshank - Scrumhalf / Prop Forward
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