2007 Season Reports: LEIGH CENTURIONS 22 CELTIC CRUSADERS 26

Leigh Centurions 22 Celtic Crusaders 26
Dave Parkinson at Hilton Park.


Cock-a-hoop Celtic Crusaders gained the shock result of the Northern Rail Cup with victory over 2006 winners Leigh Centurions.


After creaking and straining their way to an 18-4 half-time lead, Leigh simply collapsed in the second period as the Crusaders, superbly marshalled by current NL2 Player-of-the-Year Jace Van Dijk turned the screw to post four tries.

Crusaders Assistant boss Kevin Ellis, declared the win “very impressive.”

He said, “to come here to Leigh - a class side, a First Division side, an ex Super League side, with a relatively new team makes this an outstanding win. We’ve improved from our first game with Widnes and come up here and put a good performance in. We had a good chat at half-time just to keep ball, we had the wind and said just to get to the kick and it paid dividends. Our halfbacks controlled it, they work well together and through last year got a good combination going, their kicking game was second to none and from one to seventeen I felt they all had outstanding games today.”

The opening ten minutes set the scene for what was to follow as Leroy Rivett slipped in the mud and former Centurion Paul Ballard then knocked-on in contact with his very first carry. Such loose handling by both teams saw the score remain locked until the 11th minute. As Celtic came forward, Dean Fitzgerald spilled the ball on the home 20 metre line, Martin Ainscough collected and sped 70 metres before being hauled down. From the very next play, John Clough ran on and Miles Greenwood supported to go under the posts. Aaron Heremaia converted but Celtic were by no means out of the contest.

With 16 minutes gone, Leigh went on the attack deep in the Crusaders quarter before Greenwood’s long pass was intercepted by last season’s top try scorer Tony Duggan. Fortunately for the home team, after swapping passes, the ball was lost in a tackle from Adam Rudd.

The next chance fell the way of Celtic when Luke Young kicked across field and although the Centurions recovered possession, they knocked on at the next tackle. The pressure was building on Leigh and their error count continued to rise. It was at this point that Celtic took advantage when Van Dijk selected the right pass and former Centurion Academy product Anthony Blackwood went over after 26 minutes.

Leigh replied on the back of a Celtic error when Heremaia collected a dropped ball before offloading to Danny Speakman. He ran 45 metres unopposed to touchdown.

Finally Leigh appeared to be putting their game together and a third try fell their way before the break when Heremaia, Anthony Stewart and Rudd were all involved before Stewart ran to the line. The goal points made it 18-4 at the interval.

The second half began poorly for the Leigh as they conceded a penalty for obstruction from their very first possession but that attack came to nought.

Patiently, the Crusaders built a platform before roaring back into the game after 46 minutes. Former Swinton player Phil Cushion was the scorer after Rudd’s error was toed forward. The classy Tony Duggan then grabbed a try from the scrum-base after 51 minutes and the conversion left Leigh clinging to an uncomfortable lead

Leigh then saw chances for Greenwood, Warren Stevens and Tim Jonkers go begging before Richie Johnson dived on another Rudd error from an astute Van Dijk kick to hand the visitors the lead for the first time after 66 minutes.

Leigh poured forward in desperation but Sam Butterworth saw a short pass for Greenwood ruled forward and the Centurions bombed an overlap.

Clinically, the Crusaders moved downfield and swift play released Grant Epton on the right for Duggan to score. Damien Quinn added his third goal and although Clough put a late try on the scoreboard for Leigh after a strong break from Danny Speakman, Celtic claimed a much deserved win.

“I thought we were poor.” Admitted Darren Shaw. “It was probably a fair result to be honest. Our body language, urgency and enthusiasm just wasn’t there. We were out enthused, you can’t coach that, that comes from within. We didn’t turn up at all. They copped it at half-time but it didn’t work did it? We came out and we were worse. Some performances just didn’t warrant a first team selection. We are handing games over at the moment and it’s got to change.”

Gamebreaker: Duggan’s second try, a skilful move down the right put eight points between the teams and there was no way back for Leigh.

Gamestar: Jace Van Dijk – superb in organising his team and his kicking game paid dividends for Celtic.


Centurions:
1. Miles Greenwood
2. Adam Rudd
3. Anthony Stewart
4. Danny Speakman
5. Leroy Rivett
6. Martin Ainscough
7. Aaron Heremaia
8. Warren Stevens
9. John Clough
10. Chris Hill
11. Mailangi Styles
12. Tommy Grundy
13. Tim Jonkers
Subs:
14. Sam Butterworth
15. James Taylor
16. Daryl Kay
17. John Cookson

Tries: Greenwood (11), Speakman (29), Stewart (37), Clough (80).
Goals: Heremaia 3/4

Crusaders:
1. Paul Ballard
2. Grant Epton
3. Anthony Blackwood
4. Tony Duggan
5. Richie Johnson
6. Luke Young
7. Jace Van Dijk
8. Gareth Dean
9. Neil Budworth
10. Hywel Davies
11. Dean Fitzgerald
12. Mark Dalle Cort
13. Damien Quinn
Subs:
14. Andy Boothroyd
15. Jamie I’anson
16. Josh Cale
17. Phil Cushion

Tries: Blackwood (26), Cushion (46), Duggan (51, 73), Johnson (66)
Goals: Quinn 3/5.

Attendance: 1,637
Referee: Karl Kirkpatrick
Penalties: 7-9
Half-time: 18-4

Men-of-the-Match:
Leigh: Danny Speakman
Celtic: Jace Van Dijk

Scoring Sequence:
6-0; 6-4; 12-4; 18-4; 18-10; 18-16; 18-20; 18-26; 22-26.