2003 Season Reports: LEIGH 19 WHITEHAVEN 12

21st April

Leigh send Whitehaven back to Cumbria with nothing

LEIGH CENTURIONS 19 WHITEHAVEN 12
By Dave Parkinson.
The Centurions much maligned defence found form at the Coliseum on Monday night, laying the platform for a 19-12 win that could have been greater had either John Duffy or Lee Sanderson brought their shooting boots.

Bossing things early on, Leigh were awarded the first two penalties of the game but Duffy struck the post and the chance was lost. Good work from the Centurion pack took Leigh within range again and Bryan Henare got on the outside of his man, into a big hole off a clever Sanderson pass for the opening try after 13 minutes.

Hard-working Haven replied with a 25th minute penalty from Darren Holt but Leigh were still in ascendancy and should have scored when breaks down the left came to nothing and Holdstock was tackled touch-in-goal following a powerful surge. Things were close and a missed penalty from Sanderson before the break meant the half-time score remained 6-2 in the Centurions favour.

Leigh were on the back foot right from the restart when Willie Swann spilled possession and the ball was collected from an off-side position. Holt added the easy penalty but Leigh were in no mood to squander this one and Swann made amends after 50 minutes with an intelligent kick for the corner. Chasing through Phil Kendrick could have collected but the centre opted to dab the ball inside where Paul Rowley scooped the ball up and dived over. Again the conversion fell short, but Leigh were enjoying their best spell of the game, starving Whitehaven of possession.

A monster 35 metre drop-goal from substitute Patrick Weisner opened a seven point lead on 53 minutes and you could sense it was going to be Leigh's night when the usually reliable Holt hooked a fairly simple penalty wide. Two minutes later Holdstock broke, showing good speed to finish from 40 metres. Unfortunately Sanderson struck the upright with his conversion attempt.

Despite trailing 15-4 the visitors weren't done. Leroy Joe collected a Sanderson chip kick to break through the cover and send Jamie Stenhouse racing in at the corner after 61 minutes.

It was fitting that a tough game of rugby league was decided on the back of great defence. Rowley raced after Joe on the last tackle forcing a hurried kick, taken on the full by Alan Hadcroft. Hadcroft swerved into a gap and sped away before passing out to Dave Alstead who finished a 70 metre move with a dive for the corner. Duffy missed with the extras before Haven scored a late consolation through Stenhouse.


Man-of-the-Match - Take your pick from Paul Rowley, Dale Holdstock, Bryan Henare and Sonny Nickle. The quartet were outstanding with perhaps Rowley just edging it.

Teams:
Leigh: Alstead, Watts, Holdstock, Kendrick, Hadcroft; Sanderson, Duffy; Nickle, Rowley, Norman, Richardson, Henare, Bristow; Swann, Weisner, Hamilton, Bradbury.

Whitehaven: Broadbent, Wood, Seeds, Hill, Stenhouse; Joe, Holt; Vaughan, Lester, Fatialofa, McKinney, Morton, Purdham; Kiddie, Miller, Whitehead, Cunningham.

Leigh Scorers:
Tries: Henare (13 mins), Rowley (50 mins), Holdstock (58 mins), Alstead (68 mins).
Goals: Sanderson 1/4, Duffy 0/2.
Drop Goal: Weisner.

Whitehaven Scorers:
Tries: Stenhouse 2 (61 mins, 79 mins).
Goals: Holt 2/4.

Attendance: 1,996.