Match Reports about Leigh Centurions since 1998

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Thursday 7 January 2010

2003 Season Reports: BATLEY BULLDOGS 12 LEIGH CENTURIONS 38

4th May

Bulldog spirit dampened by rampant Centurions

BATLEY BULLDOGS 12 LEIGH CENTURIONS 38
By Dave Parkinson

Leigh went a 3rd game unbeaten in National League One with an impressive 38-12 success over Batley. Leading 12-0 at the interval Leigh attacked up the infamous Mount Pleasant slope with renewed vigour to score four second half tries in addition to their three in the first half.

Initially both sides kept things tight before Leigh hit out with a fine opener in the 10th minute from Phil Kendrick after Dale Cardoza provided the running and Adam Bristow then turned the ball inside for his support. John Duffy couldn't convert and was wide with a second attempt after the scrum-half worked an opening for Bristow to race over from 30 metres in the 34th minute.

The 24 minutes between scores saw Batley work hard but a well organised defence claimed the upper hand with only the kicking of Barry Eaton, charges of Andy Spink and a one-sided penalty count gaining territory.

Just short of the break the Centurions grabbed a third try from Duffy before a brawl erupted after Craig Lingard allegedly kicked the scrum-half after scoring. Pat Weisner stepped up to attempt the conversion but he too was wide.

Batley made a great start to the second half with a mammoth 40-20 kick from Gibbons and were soon on the scoreboard when Leon Williamson scored in the corner. Eaton converted and the Bulldogs were right back in it at 12-6.

The game was evenly poised until the hour when Weisner added a penalty, much to the ironic cheers of the travelling Leigh faithful but far better was to follow.

Returning from suspension, Cardoza once again stamped his presence on the game with a fantastic 30 metre run through three defenders before passing for Dave Alstead to score his 7th try of the season despite the best efforts of Lingard and the knees of Ryan Horsley.

Batley weren't finished and came back at their visitors with a fine try from Lingard but this only snapped Leigh into action and they showed a fine ruthless streak to score three times in the last eight minutes. Sonny Nickle, Paul Rowley and Paul Norman each finished high speed moves as the Centurions blew the Bulldogs away. Weisner continued his fine kicking to close the game with 5 goals from 6 attempts.



Man-of-the-Match: Take your pick! Halfbacks John Duffy and Pat Weisner controlled the game, Paul Rowley worked well, Sonny Nickle, Sean Richardson, Paul Norman and David Bradbury didnt take a backward step and Dave Alstead gave another solid display at the back.

Team: Alstead, Watts, Kendrick, Cardoza, Munro; Weisner, Duffy; Nickle, Rowley, Norman, Richardson, Henare, Bristow; Swann, Holdstock, Sanderson, Bradbury.

Scorers: Tries: Kendrick (10 mins), Bristow (34), Duffy (39), Alstead (63), Nickle (72), Rowley (74), Norman (79).

Goals: Duffy 0/2, Weisner 5/6.

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