2007 Season Reports: Leigh's first visit to the Keepmoat: DONCASTER 18 LEIGH 52

Doncaster Lakers 18 Leigh Centurions 52
Dave Parkinson from the Keepmoat Stadium.

Leigh Centurions finally opened their National League One account at the third attempt with a nine try success over Doncaster in 25 degree heat.

Highlights for the Centurions included a hat-trick of tries from Danny Halliwell who returned to the club on-loan at the end of last week, a twenty point haul from French centre Damien Couturier and a sparkling display around the ruck from Sam Butterworth.

Doncaster had the first opportunity to trouble the scoreboard but Loz Wildbore hooked his penalty attempt wide after three minutes. The visitors looked to post points early on but David Alstead saw a try in the left corner disallowed for a forward pass. Leroy Rivett then took a wide pass but the impressive Danny Mills tackled back. The first try eventually came after eleven minutes. The Centurions peppered Doncaster down the right before Aaron Heremaia and Rob Roberts combined and a wide pass from Heremaia saw Couturier over on the left. The centre kicked magnificently from the touchline and Leigh doubled their lead four minutes later.

A wicked step took Heremaia clear of a defender and he accelerated into the gap cleverly using the supporting Miles Greenwood as a foil before completing a forty metre run and getting on the outside of Rikki Sheriffe.

Leigh then squandered two chances. A brilliant offload from Adam Hughes was just knocked down by Alstead then moments later Hughes burst into a gap but his pass for Butterworth was ruled forward.

Doncaster’s attacks were spasmodic but just when it looked like they had pinned the Centurions back in their twenty, Leroy Rivett ducked two attempted tackles and sped fifty metres before being cut down by Dean Andrews. Andrews then incurred the wrath of referee Mr Hewer, holding down to long to earn a yellow card. From the resulting penalty Leigh worked an opening and turbo charged Halliwell shot through and under the posts only to knock on at the vital second.

Inspired by Joe Mbu and Joel Penny, Wildbore pulled a converted try back for the Lakers, spinning out of a Mailangi Styles tackle and diving over Butterworth.

Seven minutes later, Heremaia ghosted down the right wing before releasing Butterworth and the hooker won the footrace to the line from forty metres. Couturier converted but Leigh weren’t content with an 18-6 half-time score.

Seconds from the end of the half, Heremaia lifted a cross-kick; Halliwell won the contest with Sheriffe and strolled between the sticks from fifteen metres.

Doncaster went straight on the attack from the kick-off but an ambitious pass was snapped up by Martin Ainscough for the substitute to run unopposed to the line. Couturier maintained his form with the boot and he was on target again after 49 minutes when Halliwell beat four defenders with an evasive surge to the line from Ainscough’s distribution.

The Lakers then lost the services of eminent Ryan Tandy as the game was stopped for several minutes whist the three times grand-final prop was given attention and led from the field.

Strangely this seemed to galvanise Doncaster efforts and from a scrum sixty metres out, Wildbore linked with Penny. He broke and finished well. Wildbore converted the score and the game entered a lull.

With 68 minutes played Butterworth sparked things to life with a startling play. The Leigh hooker dabbed the ball through the line twice before collecting a favourable bounce and outpacing Sheriffe.

Another try wasn’t long in coming and it went to Halliwell. Sniffing an opportunity; he intercepted in midfield to go under the posts. Couturier added his eighth and final goal. An error from the restart gifted possession back to Doncaster and after holding the Lakers out, Leigh were undone at dummy half by Penny who crossed for his second.

The Centurions then brought proceedings to a close with a try to Hughes after Ainscough, Heremaia and Greenwood combined.

Lakers:
1. Rikki Sheriffe
2. James Endersby
3. Dean Gorton
4. Dean Andrews
5. Danny Mills
6. Loz Wildbore
7. Joel Penny
8. James Garmston
9. Joe McLocklan
10. Ryan Tandy
11. Joe Mbu
12. Peter Green
13. Craig Lawton
Subs (All Used)
14. Adam Robinson
15. Ade Adibisi
16. Mark Castle
17. Craig Potter

Tries: Wildbore (30), Penny (61, 74).
Goals: Wildbore 3/4.
Sinbinned: Andrews (24 – holding down)

Centurions:
1. Miles Greenwood
2. Leroy Rivett
3. Damien Couturier
4. Danny Halliwell
5. David Alstead
6. Rob Roberts
7. Aaron Heremaia
8. Warren Stevens
9. Sam Butterworth
10. Dana Wilson
11. Adam Hughes
12. Tommy Grundy
13. Anthony Stewart
Subs (All Used)
14. Martin Ainscough
15. Mailangi Styles
16. Chris Hill
17. Sean Richardson

Tries: Couturier (11), Heremaia (15), Butterworth (37, 68), Halliwell (40, 49, 71), Ainscough (42), Hughes (78).
Goals: Couturier 8/9.

Half-time: 6-24
Referee: Mr G Hewer (Whitehaven)
Penalties: 6-4
Attendance: 1,339.