1999: Season Reports: May: BATLEY BULLDOGS 25 LEIGH CENTURIONS 16

BATLEY BULLDOGS 25 LEIGH CENTURIONS 16
By Dave Parkinson.

A try 30 seconds from time from outstanding home scrum-half Barnett finally clinched a deserved victory for Batley who had shown more bulldog spirit throughout than their visitors.

Leigh had made an encouraging opening to the game but were outplayed in the key half-back areas by a hungry Batley side fresh from a 17-16 away victory at Widnes.

Playing up the slope in the first half, the Centurions shocked Batley with two tries in the first five minutes.

The first fell to Andy Fairclough, using all his guile and strength to brush past two defenders. The second try was scored in virtually the same spot after Anthony Murray, Scott Hilton and Kieron Purtill had created the opening for Chris Parr to score his first try for the club.

Wingfield missed both conversions plus a penalty sandwiched between some good Batley pressure and Leigh held an 8-0 lead.

Despite bossing the opening quarter, Leigh could not breach the Batley defence again in the first half and this gave the home side encouragement.

Batley had a try disallowed before a scrum on their own 40 metre finally worked in the Bulldog's favour. Price slipped a tackle before sending second row Miers sprinting clear from 50 metres for a touchdown.

Leigh ran into further injury worries after 25 minutes when Stuart Donlan was stretchered off after a tackle on Roger Simpson. Dave Ingram was switched to full-back but could do little as Price ghosted over on 27 minutes and his own conversion gave Batley a slender 10-8 lead.

Barnett and Price had further opportunities to increase the Bulldog lead but a combination of luck and determined defence kept them at bay. Just as Leigh were waiting for halftime, they conceded a penalty and Price converted. Once again the Centurions were caught cold when Gary Barnett split the cover and sent Lee Bargate haring over for a converted try and an 18-8 lead.

Just as they had done in the first half, Leigh started well and were rewarded in the 44th minute when a conspicuous pass from Heath Cruckshank was missed by the officials and Murray sped under the posts for a Wingfield converted try.

Price missed a penalty for the home side before substitute Safraz Patel worked an opening with Hilton only for the loose forward to be hauled down short. Batley were penalised for the tackle and Wingfield closed the Bulldog lead to just two points with the 62nd minute penalty.

Moments later Cruckshank had a touchdown disallowed after the referee consulted the linesman who ruled Purtill's offload to the second row was forward. That was as close as Leigh came to another score in the game. Batley continued to run the clock down and Mark Cass kicked a field-goal before Barnett's last gasp heroics lifted the Bulldogs to 9th in the table.

Batley Bulldogs 25
Tries: (minutes in brackets)
Miers (21), Price (27), Bargate (38), Barnett (79)
Goals: Price 4 (from 7)
Field Goal: Cass 1

Defeated

Leigh Centurions 16
Tries: (mins in brackets)
Fairclough (2), Parr (4), Murray (44)
Goals: Wingfield 2 (from 5)

Attendance: 1023 (at Mount Pleasant, Batley).

Starmen:
Batley = Gary Barnett / Richard Price - Halfbacks
Leigh = Tim Street / Alan Hadcroft - Prop / Centre