Match Reports about Leigh Centurions since 1998

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Thursday 7 January 2010

2003 Season Reports: LEIGH 20 SALFORD 20

Honours even in top clash

LEIGH 20 SALFORD 20
By Dave Parkinson
Relegated Salford City Reds were given a stern test by the Centurions in the first of 6 possible encounters between the teams this season. For long spells Leigh controlled this game and were 18-4 up at one stage before the Reds, led by Leigh born centre Stuart Littler and classy hooker Dave Highton staged a dramatic revival to claim a share of the spoils before an encouraging crowd of 4,445 at the Coliseum. .

Things started well for the full-time visitors and they opened the score less than a minute in when Neil Baynes bulldozed over from a quick tap penalty. Gavin Clinch failed to add the extras and Leigh were soon on level terms when good play in midfield took the Centurions close and Sean Richardson added a great try. Unfortunately, John Duffy was also wide and missed a further penalty moments later.

Salford continued to work themselves into good field position but the Leigh defence held with Leroy Rivett returning the ball from deep in exciting fashion.

As the tide began to turn, Leigh forced a dropout and from this position Paul Rowley fed Adam Bristow who showed a great swerve to pass former Leigh favourite Simon Baldwin before crashing over from 10 metres. Duffy converted and having now found his shooting boots added a penalty after Chris Charles was sin-binned for holding down.

Again Salford came at the home side strongly but good defence kept them out until the break and the Centurions went into the sheds with a 12-4 advantage.

Leigh didn't make the greatest start to the second half but after applying pressure and coming up with possession, the Centurions showed good patience. Finally this told when Duffy spotted the smallest of gaps in the defence and sidestepped a despairing tackle from Jason Flowers to put his team 18-4 up.

Leigh then made things difficult for themselves. Dave Alstead knocked on from the re-start and this handed an opportunity straight back to the City Reds. After withstanding a forward barrage, the ball was moved wide through Radney Bowker and Clinch for Littler to claim his first.

A fine running line from Reds skipper Malcolm Alker opened the Leigh defence again moments later. Littler was in support and he put Alan Hunte in at the corner. 18-12 became 20-12 in the home teams favour when Hunte was penalised for an incorrect play-the-ball.

Again the restart brought misfortune with Michael Watts knocking on. A set move from the scrum split the Leigh defence and Flowers sent Littler striding through from twenty metres. This time Lee Marsh converted and then kept his nerve to slot the equalising penalty over with just 3 minutes remaining. It was certainly a point lost for the battling Centurions.

While the entire team went about their duty, there were four stand-out performers for the Centurions.

John Duffy gave a sparky display that saw him combine well with Pat Weisner and split the midfield a number of time. Once comfortable with the goal kicking role he added four goals and scored a smartly taken try.

Sean Richardson constantly had the Reds on the back foot with excellent running and defence while Paul Rowley and Adam Bristow burst back into form.

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