DONCASTER LAKERS 22 LEIGH CENTURIONS 34
By Dave Parkinson.
Leigh Centurions picked up their 8th league win of the campaign following this gutsy victory over competent Doncaster Lakers.
Trips to Belle Vue have proved notoriously difficult in past seasons with just two previous wins on the ground before this latest visit.
The Centurions arrived somewhat depleted with both Aaron Heremaia and James Taylor ruled out by injury and new signings Una Lamelangi and Tyrone Pau unable to make their debuts due to RFL red tape. Martin Roden, the club’s conditioner was pressed into service alongside Senior Academy leading try scorer Paul Ballard.
With Carl Forber forming a new halfback pairing with Mick Govin you could be forgiven for thinking this would affect the Centurions midfield. Early on it was not the case as Leigh moved the ball with some fluency; Adam Hughes looking a particular threat on the left. The first real chance on the home line came through Danny Halliwell in the third minute. The Lakers had the next chance after 5 minutes when Peter Green and Chris Ross linked to get Kane Epati free but Hughes tackled back well.
Hughes looked set to trouble the scoreboard operator moments later but inexplicably referee Mr Taberner penalised Doncaster for offside after the centre had broken through. Again Doncaster replied when quick hands from Graham Holroyd and Josh Weedon worked an opening for Craig Lawton only for Lee Greenwood to effect a try-saving tackle.
90 seconds later, the Leigh winger was over for a try of his own after good play between Paul Rowley, Robert Roberts and Scott Grix. Govin added the first of five goals and Leigh were away.
Ten minutes later Holroyd replied following smart work with Adam Robinson. He was unable to convert but Doncaster did hit the front after 23 minutes when Ross broke for an individual try after two attempts to stop him. Holroyd converted but the lead lasted just 5 minutes before Grix split the defence with a superb kick return and found Greenwood 40 metres out. His pace did the rest and Govin made it 12-10.
Roberts was then placed on report for an alleged use of the forearm in a tackle and when Halliwell was then penalised, Leigh were back pedalling. Doncaster made them pay when Holroyd’s delayed pass found substitute Mark Castle and the big prop went over by the posts. Holroyd converted but became the villain on the Lakers next set.
Drives had taken the Lakers to their own forty metre line before Holroyd moved the ball wide. Halliwell anticipated the play, intercepted and ran unopposed to the line for Govin to convert and hand the Centurions a narrow halftime lead. In the last couple of minutes of the half, Grix twice collected the ball in heavy traffic as Doncaster piled pressure on the visitors.
Leigh started the secnd half well and nudged further in front with a Govin penalty after Richard Newlove ripped the ball in a tackle. From the restart, Holroyd kicked the ball out on the full but Leigh could not take advantage and it was the Lakers that marched back down the ground. Holroyd created a second try on the last tackle with a lofted kick to the corner. Leigh thought they had the play covered but the ball went loose and Dean Colton ran through to add the scoring touch. The conversion put the Lakers ahead 22-20 after 48 minutes but the game was far from over.
A raking kick on the Lakers last tackle saw Grix move across to stop the 40-20 and a knock on was harshly ruled. Once more the Lakers threatened but Leigh put pressure on Holroyd and the stand-off threw a second interception to Halliwell. This time the centre ran 80 metres to the line and you could sense the game had turned.
Moments later, Warren Stevens returned for his second spell and his quick play-the-ball saw Rowley dart forward. He linked with Govin who cleverly shaped to pass and then kicked wide for Halliwell to grab his hat-trick and 8th try in 3 games.
Unfortunately Halliwell later limped out of the action allowing Ballard to enter play.
Almost immediately Ballard thought he’d created a try for Chris Hill but this was ruled out. The Centurions then scored a decisive 75th minute try that wrapped things up. Govin’s high kick was contested by Ballard and Roberts for the latter to take the ball, draw the winger and send Dean Gaskell over for his 8th try of the season.
In those dying minutes outstanding Lakers debutant Josh Weeden was helped from the field after a mistimed tackle and Doncaster piled forward only to be frustrated by a steady defensive line.
Leigh boss Tony Benson thought the second half was a big improvement for the Centurions.
“I thought the first half was a bit of a worry for us to be honest.” He said. “We were only two points in front and with the breeze behind us I thought we should have had more.”
“We had a tough end to the week injury wise with Aaron Heremaia and James Taylor both pulling out at the last minute. The combination in the middle was struggling. We moved Carl Forber there to solve the problem. We ended the game with a few more injuries and the RFL rulings meant that we went in pretty much with 16 players and our trainer on the bench. Martin Roden is a fair player anyway and I thought he came in and played solidly for us. It was disruptive. In the first half we looked out of sorts around the ruck.”
“Once we’d talked through those areas, I thought we went pretty well. We’d worked hard during the week on our defence and we only conceded one try in the second half which was a good effort considering we were on our line and kept giving the ball up. I felt that the defence held and was pretty strong and we controlled the ruck.”
Doncaster:
1. Shad Royston
2. Dean Colton
3. Kane Epati
4. Richard Newlove
5. Danny Mills
6. Graham Holroyd
7. Chris Ross
8. Anthony Tonks
9. Peter Green
10. Gareth Hanforth
11. Craig Lawton
12. Adam Robinson
13. Josh Weeden
Subs (All Used)
14. Jason Mossop
15. Mark Castle
16. Yusuf Sozi
17. Paul McNicholas
Tries: Holroyd (19), Ross (23), Castle (34), Colton (48)
Goals: Holroyd 3/4
Leigh
1. Scott Grix
2. Dean Gaskell
3. Adam Hughes
4. Danny Halliwell
5. Lee Greenwood
6. Michael Govin
7. Carl Forber
8. Warren Stephens
9. Paul Rowley
10. Bryn Hargreaves
11. Paul Prescott
12. Tere Glassie
13. Robert Roberts
Subs (All Used)
14. Martin Roden
15. Paul Ballard
16. Chris Hill
17. Dana Wilson
Tries: Greenwood (9, 28), Halliwell (35, 51, 57), Gaskell (75)
Goals: Govin 5/7
Attendance: 1,083
Referee: Peter Taberner
Penalties: 11-4
Half-time: 16-18
Progressive Score:
0-6; 4-6; 10-6; 10-12; 16-12; 16-18. (HT) 16-20; 22-20; 22-24; 22-30; 22-34.
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