Match Reports about Leigh Centurions since 1998

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Tuesday 5 January 2010

2006 Season Reports: WIDNES 12 LEIGH 54

Widnes Vikings 12
Leigh Centurions 54
By Dave Parkinson

Leigh marched into the Northern Rail Cup Semi-Finals following this all too easy win over a Vikings team missing the combined talents of David Peachey, Barrie McDermott and point scoring ace Mick Nanyn. Leigh too were shy of full strength with captain Julian O'Neill and big Richard Moore sidelined, but the Centurions adapted better with Carl Forber, Aaron Heremaia and Paul Rowley running things behind a rampant pack that took charge after five minutes

The facts make stark reading for Widnes who have now seen the Centurions rack up 159 points in four competitive games while scoring just 46 points themselves. The last two games against Leigh make even more depressing reading with the Vikings shipping 107 points in.

Considering the scale of defeat it is hard to believe that Widnes started brightly when winger Paul O'Connor split the Leigh line and raced 60 metres only to see Lee Greenwood and Scott Grix chase him and the supporting Adam Bowman down.

The first sign that Leigh were getting on top came after four minutes when Glassie split the defence, one of several strong runs down the left by the Cook Islands international. Although that came to nought, Leigh did apply pressure through the kicking game of Heremaia and the scrum half unlocked the home defence for the first time after 8 minutes when a set move put Glassie one-on-one with former Whitehaven grand-finalist Ryan Tandy. There was only one winner and Glassie added his third try of the season.

Forber kicked the first of seven goals and was on the mark three minutes later when Rowley raced clear from dummy half before sending Grix away for a classy try. Widnes came back at their visitors with Mark Smith sniping forward from dummy half before the ball was moved to the Vikings left, but Danny Halliwell halted Daryl Cardiss with a great tackle.

When Tommy Grundy launched a kick to the corner a minute later, nothing looked on but Greenwood pinned Bowman back and then stole the ball from the bemused youngster to touch down. Leigh were certainly on a roll as quick passing from Rowley saw Forber put Halliwell over for a 20-0 advantage after 20 minutes. It was around this time that the Vikings lost both captain Terry O'Connor and full back Gavin Dodd to injury.

When the impressive Heremaia touched down two minutes later after Dean Gaskell broke and chipped in-field for Forber to chase, it had members of the press thumbing through Widnes records for details of their biggest defeat. Leigh were well in command after their five try, fourteen minute stint. Heremaia then raced 80 metres only to see his effort harshly disallowed for an illegal ball-steal.

Thankfully for Widnes, they got possession inside the Centurions half and had the ball stolen on the line resulting in Grix being sinbinned. The Vikings lay seige to Leigh's line but could not find a way through after Beswick bombed a three man overlap and then Tandy dropped the ball close. Eventually this pressure was rewarded in the 33rd minute when Cardiss slipped through a tackle from close range. New signing Ian Watson converted via an upright and Widnes were on the board with Leigh working overtime to hold their hosts out until the halftime interval.

A scrappy opening to the second half saw Widnes put early pressure on the Centurions defence with Danny Heaton working hard to get his side moving before Watson sent John Kirkpatrick up the wing. The former Saints man then overplayed the situation and Grix came away with possession. Leigh marched downfield and after Rowley linked with Glassie from a chargedown Ricky Bibey showed good strength to touchd own despite the attention of four defenders. Forber converted and the game was over as a contest with the Centurions leading 32-6.

Leigh increased their advantage after 55 minutes when basketball handling on the last tackle eventually brought a try for Gary Sykes and things got worse for the Vikings on the hour. Halliwell leapt high for Heremaia's kick and James Taylor bumped his centre over the line for a second try. At 44-6 the only surprising fact was it took Leigh a further 12 minutes to add to their score. It was worth the wait. Chris Hill hit the ball up and a quick play-the-ball again saw Rowley dart clear from dummy half. For a moment an individual try looked on the cards but the hooker cleverly drew the fullback and passed wide for Greenwood to get his 11th try of the campaign.

The Centurions then crowned a memorable afternoon with their final try when Danny Speakman broke a tackle and raced 80 metres from a scrum to bring up the 50 point mark. Although Widnes had the final say when Smith linked with Beswick for a try in stoppage time, goaled by Paul Crook. It was scant consolation and Tony Benson and his Centurions were able to celebrate with the sizeable Leigh contingent while sections of the remaining Widnes crowd shouted for the resignation of Steve McCormack.

Man-of-the-Match:
Take your pick! Forber, Heremaia and Rowley were all superb while Dana Wilson, Chris Hill and Warren Stevens added great impetus alongside Ricky Bibey.

Gamebreaker:
That 14 minute spell in the first half. If the Centurions can reproduce such form on a regular basis, god help the rest of NL1!

Game Stats:
Widnes
1 Gavin Dodd
2 John Kirkpatrick
3 Adam Bowman
4 Daryl Cardiss
5 Paul O'Connor
6 James Coyle
7 Ian Watson
8 Terry O'Connor
9 Mark Smith
10 Mick Cassidy
11 Ryan Tandy
12 David Allen
13 Bob Beswick
SUBS
14 Paul Crook
15 Danny Heaton
16 Steve Nash
17 Adam Sidlow

Tries: Cardiss (33), Smith (80)
Goals: Watson 1/1, Crook 1/1.

Leigh
1 Scott Grix
2 Dean Gaskell
3 Adam Hughes
4 Danny Halliwell
5 Lee Greenwood
6 Carl Forber
7 Aaron Heremaia
8 Ricky Bibey
9 Paul Rowley
10 Dana Wilson
11 James Taylor
12 Tere Glassie
13 Tommy Grundy
SUBS
14 Gary Sykes
15 Danny Speakman
16 Chris Hill
17 Warren Stevens

Tries: Glassie (8), Grix (11), Greenwood (17, 72), Halliwell (20, 60), Heremaia (22), Bibey (49), Sykes (55), Speakman (76).

Goals: Forber 7/10.
Sin-binned: Grix (26) – ball stealing.

Referee: Ian Smith (Oldham)
Penalties: 7-8
GLDO: 2-1

Attendance: 3,534.

Progressive Score:
0-6; 0-12; 0-16; 0-20; 0-26; 6-26; 6-32; 6-38; 6-44; 6-48; 6-54; 12-54

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