Match Reports about Leigh Centurions since 1998

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Wednesday 6 January 2010

2006 Season Reports: LEIGH 38 HALIFAX 36

Leigh Centurions 38 Halifax 36

Dave Parkinson at The Coliseum.

The finishing of Danny Halliwell helped Leigh Centurions return to winning ways in National League One. The centre scored four tries in a close-run affair at the Coliseum as the hosts toppled an 18-0 advantage.

“It was far too close.” Said Leigh boss Tony Benson. “When we want too, we can play really good football but I wish that we wanted to do it for 80 minutes. It is really frustrating. We were pretty clear on what we had to do going into the game. We didn’t do it in the first half for some reason, but we did it in the second, for patches. We needed the two points but we’ve got a lot of work to do during the week.”

After promising early touches from Aaron Heremaia and debutant Paul Prescott it was Halifax that took the lead with a raid down their right. Winger James Haley was the scorer, taking a wide pass from Adam Hayes before searing to the line.

Leigh created the next opportunity when Michael Govin kicked ahead for Lee Greenwood, but Brad Attwood raced back to collect. Two minutes later debutant David Wrench sliced through the home defence and Attwood supported. It took a good chasing tackle from James Taylor to halt the fullback and from the next play Andy Spink charged over. Two minutes later the same player was sent through by Joel Penny and with Haley converting both it was 16-0.

Leigh rang the changes with Chris Hill and Carl Forber thrust into action, but Halifax increased their lead when Haley tagged on a penalty after Dean Lawford was fouled kicking the ball.

Leigh replied after 29 minutes when a last tackle flurry saw the ball move from left to right after Hill’s forceful run and Halliwell scored in support of Scott Grix.

For a time Halifax looked likely to increase their lead. First Penny skipped and weaved inside the home quarter before Adam Hughes brought him to the floor with a high tackle, then Attwood was brought back in the motion of scoring for a forward pass. Two minutes later fine passing from the visitors again unlocked Leigh’s defence and it took a wonderful tackle from Heremaia to bring Marcus George down.

Late in the half, Leigh responded when Dana Wilson was held up over the line; then with the final play of the half, Dean Gaskell couldn’t hold onto a Halliwell pass in the corner.

The Centurions opened second half scoring when Heremaia grubbered to the in-goal. Unfortunately for Halifax, George fumbled and Halliwell followed up to claim his second try, converted by Govin.

Three minutes later Leigh were back in the contest when Roberts laid on the final pass for Halliwell to complete his hat-trick. Only a good tackle moments later by the experienced Damian Ball dislodged possession from Forber when it looked like the Leigh sub would score.

Halifax grabbed the next points after 54 minutes. Lawford spiralled a bomb skyward and Penny swept through to score. This seemed to fire the Centurions and Halliwell completed his quartet with a sublime effort from 30 metres following early service from Roberts. The gap was just two points.

The following set provided just the fillip the Centurions sought. Govin was twice involved as Leigh marched downfield and when Halifax conceded a penalty, their over-worked defence melted away for Heremaia to shimmy over the line after 61 minutes.

Four minutes later Leigh were back in the scoring groove when Stevens burly run was halted and Govin darted over from dummy half.

Leigh looked to have secured a match-winning 38-24 lead after 68 minutes when Heremaia grabbed his second try after Grix’ kick hit the post and stopped dead for the halfback to scoop up.

Back came Halifax and their never say-die effort almost pulled a win out of the bag when Dominic Brambani, then Spink (his hat-trick) scored tries in the last eight minutes to keep the nervous Centurions on their toes.

“For most of the first half we were probably the dominant team.” Halifax boss Martin Hall reflected. “I thought that we could have had a few more points on the board by half-time to be fair. For a good chunk of the second we struggled and then came back into it at the death. As you can imagine, we are all frustrated and disappointed that we didn’t pick up the two points.”

GAME STAR: Danny Halliwell added real cut and thrust down the right, and became the first Leigh player to score a quartet of tries since 2004.

GAME BREAKER: Leigh’s final try gave Halifax just that little bit too much to do.

GAME FACTS:

Centurions
1. Scott Grix
2. Dean Gaskell
3. Adam Hughes
4. Danny Halliwell
5. Lee Greenwood
6. Michael Govin
7. Aaron Heremaia
8. Warren Stevens
9. Gary Sykes
10. Paul Prescott
11. James Taylor
12. Tere Glassie
13. Robert Roberts
SUBS (All Used)
14. Carl Forber
15. Chris Hill
16. Bryn Hargreaves
17. Dana Wilson

Tries: Halliwell (29, 44, 47, 59), Heremaia (61, 68), Govin (65)
Goals: Govin 5/7.

HALIFAX
1. Brad Attwood
2. James Haley
3. Andy Kirk
4. Anthony Blackwood
5. Marcus George
6. Joel Penny
7. Dean Lawford
8. Andy Hobson
9. Simeon Hoyle
10. Jason Boults
11. Adam Hayes
12. Andy Spink
13. Damian Ball
Subs (All Used)
14. Dominic Brambani
15. John Clough
16. Ryan MacDonald
17. David Wrench

Tries: Haley (8), Spink (20, 22, 77), Penny (54), Brambani (72)
Goals: Haley 6/7

Scoring Sequence:
0-4, 0-10; 0-16; 0-18; 4-18. 10-18; 16-18; 16-24; 22-24; 28-24; 32-24; 38-24; 38-30; 38-36.

Referee: Ben Thaler (Wakefield)
Penalties: 7-4
GLDO: 0-2
Halftime: 4-18 to Halifax.
Attendance: 1,955.

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match:
Leigh: Robert Roberts
Halifax: Andy Spink

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