2004 Season Reports: LEIGH CENTURIONS 30 KEIGHLEY COUGARS 12

LEIGH CENTURIONS 30
KEIGHLEY COUGARS 12
Dave Parkinson at The Coliseum

On a warm afternoon Leigh secured another LHF Healthplan National League One victory but it was a largely scrappy game that will have done little to boost the Centurions efforts to increase home attendances.

Keighley were the latest side to taste defeat on Leigh’s home ground. What is new there you might ask yourself? The Cougars are an improving side and from this evidence after a few early weeks of struggle they are coming to terms with the pace of National League One.

Contrary to most other opposition seen at the Coliseum this season, the Cougars never gave up and played hard for the full eighty minutes – an effort that pleased coach Gary Moorby.

“We were looking for a good performance today and I thought we got it.” He said. “I thought we were unlucky not to have another score, possibly two. I think the bounce of the ball went Leigh’s way – no complaints - sometimes it goes one way, sometimes the other way. If you compare the budgets and the scoreline, I think we did alright to be honest.

"We are starting to get a lot of self belief in our own efforts and we are working hard for each other.”

Leigh coach Darren Abram was largely happy with the way his defence functioned while commenting on the handling of his side. “Our completion rate in the second half was 50%. We only let one try in – that’s’ a positive because we gave them a lot; a lot of ball.” He said. “I would rather win with less points scored against us than by running away by 60 points.”

“On the other hand it was very sloppy. I let the lads try to express themselves and play, just to see what they could do and as I said to them; they came up with basic errors and it was poor. I’ve learned a lot from today. I know it doesn’t please the crowds but at the end of the day it’s what I’ve got to do to learn more about my players.”

Leigh started slowly and were forced to chase back on a couple of occasions as Keighley took the game to the centurions. First Matt Foster broke the line only to be brought down, and then a startling Simeon Hoyle break came to nothing.

The Centurions settled into the game and were rewarded when Gary Rourke finished a flowing move in the corner for his first senior try. Keighley had other ideas and the Cougars roared back into the game when Chris Parker crashed over for a try converted by Craig Nipperess. Two tries in three minutes to Danny Halliwell and Ian Knott threatened to break the spirit of Keighley but they refused to buckle and a combination of poor execution and good defence by the visitors saw the score remain 16-6 until the interval.

Three minutes into the second half, Leigh grabbed a crucial score through Tommy Martyn following a superb dummy from the former Saints halfback. When Keighley wing man Karl Smith was sinbinned on 50 minutes this gave Leigh the advantage to snare further tries from Knott and Paul Rowley. Former Warrington winger Rob Smyth, made a 54th minute debut but failed to get on the scoresheet despite Martyn’s best efforts.

The final word came from Keighley as Jason Clegg supported a break from Matt Firth to cross beneath the posts in the final minute.

GAMEBREAKER: Tommy Martyn’s individual try from a superb dummy on 43 minutes.
GAMESTAR: Ian Knott’s experience settled Leigh down at times and he scored two close-range tries that were crucial in the final analysis.

CENTURIONS
1 Neil Turley
2 Dave Alstead
3 Dan Potter
4 Danny Halliwell
5 Gary Rourke
6 John Duffy
7 Tommy Martyn
8 Richard Marshall
9 Paul Rowley
10 Paul Norman
11 Dave McConnell
12 Oliver Wilkes
13 Ian Knott
Subs (all used)
14 Andrew Isherwood
15 Rob Smyth
16 Radney Bowker
17 Heath Cruckshank

Tries: Rourke (12), Halliwell (24), Knott (26, 53) Martyn (43), Rowley (59)
Goals: Turley 3/6
Sinbinned –
Sent-off -

COUGARS
1 Chris Beevers
2 Karl Smith
3 Chris Wainwright
4 Matt Foster
5 Andrew Robinson
6 Craig Nipperess
7 Matt Firth
8 Phil Stephenson
9 Simeon Hoyle
10 Jason Clegg
11 Chris Parker
12 Dave Foster
13 Craig McDowell
Subs (all used)
14 Adam Mitchell
15 Eddie Wilson
16 Danny Ekis
17 Richard Mervill

Tries: Parker (17), Clegg (80)
Goals: Nipperess 2/2.
Sinbinned – Smith (50) interference
Sent-off –

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Leigh: Ian Knott
Keighley: Craig McDowell

Penalty count: 7-10
Half-time: 16-6
Referee: Gareth Hewer (Whitehaven)
Attendance: 2,057

Scoring sequence: 6-0,6-6,10-6,10-0,16-6 (HT) 22-6, 26-6, 30-6, 30-12