2008 Season Reports: LEIGH CENTURIONS 36 HALIFAX 42

LEIGH CENTURIONS 36

HALIFAX 42

DAVE PARKINSON at Hilton Park

It is a few years since Halifax were known as the “Blue Sox” but if they ever add another nickname, they must consider “Houdini’s” following a huge comeback in a memorable National League clash.

“I was very proud of the way we came back in the second half” Said Halifax boss Matt Calland after seeing Halifax come back from 36-10 down to win. “I really gave it to them at half-time when we were way below par and they turned it right round. That was like a Houdini act!”

Fax started quickly and a pass right released James Haley only for Leigh’s Dennis Moran to foil the break. Moran then spoiled his work by holding down too long and was shown the yellow card after just three and a half minutes.

The visitors immediately made their advantage count when Sean Penkywicz slipped two tackles from the base of a scrum and spun into an opening to touch down. Graham Holroyd converted but Fax were quickly put on the back foot when Ian Watson’s restart found the touchline and Toa Kohe-Love was able to get a pass back to Dave McConnell for the number nine to crash over. Watson goaled and created another opportunity minutes later when a kick was fumbled by Andy Smith. The winger chased back to collect before a crunching tackle by Dave Alstead put him out of the game.

With 23 minutes gone, Leigh took the lead when Lee Marsh kicked long from a scrum and the ball trickled along the touchline for Alstead to swoop, pick up and run over from 20 metres. The touchline conversion made it 12-6 and Leigh went further in front three minutes later when magic play from Moran saw the Aussie break on the right, Marsh linked in, grubbered forward and Paul Smith could only knock the ball behind his goal-line and watch in horror as Moran touched down.

Leigh were comfortable at 16-6 when substitute Chris Hill was dismissed for a high tackle on Dave Wrench and the whole incident was placed on report. “It was a definite sending off” Calland felt.

This did not dampen the Centurions efforts however when Lee Doran picked off a loose pass on the try-line to go half the length of the field and then two plays later Mike Wainwright supported Moran to cross the line. Watson converted and then added a penalty after Holroyd had forced a drop out at the other end and Marsh kicked the ball 60 metres from the drop out.

At 24-6, Holroyd was then sinbinned for holding down and Leigh looked to make their advantage count only for Kohe-Love to spill a certain try early in the second half. Within a minute, Shad Royston carved the Leigh defence open and Lee Patterson touched down at the corner.

Leigh hunted a score and it finally arrived just after Holroyd was back out on the field. Marsh bounced off the stand-off and Jon Goddard before Kohe-Love threw an audacious pass for Alstead to step inside for his second try.

The Centurions 6th try looked to have put Leigh well clear when Moran and Kohe-Love combined for Chris Giles to finish and Marsh struck the conversion from the touchline after 54 minutes.

Fax then mounted their magnificent fightback. Haley was the first to cross as Leigh ran out of numbers on their left. Just after the hour tormentor-in-chief Holroyd came up with a cheeky step and acceleration to finish a fourth try and the Centurions appeared powerless to stop the onslaught and Penkywicz, Royston and Miles Greenwood all combined for Damian Gibson to go under the posts.

Holroyd converted all three before Penkywicz forced his way over from close range. With the game on a knife edge, Leigh charged within range themselves. As the ball flew left, Marsh stepped and took the inside route before offloading for Gareth Price to ground the ball. Result, try? Think again, the effort was over-ruled and Fax showed Leigh how it was done – going 100 metres in four tackles before Paul Smith supported Penkywicz for the clincher amid scenes of joy and despair.

Although the Centurions rallied the clock ran down. Holroyd struck his 7th goal and missed a further penalty before Watson tried to find Giles with a long kick which rolled tamely into touch.

“The lads are absolutely gutted” revealed Centurions caretaker boss Paul Rowley. “They put everything into the game but unfortunately went away from what they were doing so well in the first half. We knew Halifax were going to play a very lateral game and that’s a big ask to defend with thirteen, but we were comfortable and then one man down for most of the game. You are asking a lot of the lads and they ran out of steam at the end, but it was a sickener to have the try disallowed under the sticks. I recommend the linesman join the fire brigade – 20-20 vision from sixty yards away is fantastic. It was a sickener and it killed us off. Credit to Halifax, they were outstanding in their comeback.”

GAMESTAR: Graham Holroyd. The veteran may have blotted his copy book with a sinbinning but watching him and Dennis Moran was worth the admission.

GAMEBREAKER: The Gareth Price disallowed try on 72 minutes, Fax roared downfield and Paul Smith got the all important try.

CENTURIONS
1 Dennis Moran
2 Chris Giles
3 Adam Thomas
4 Toa Kohe-Love
5 Dave Alstead
6 Lee Marsh
7 Ian Watson
8 Mike Morrison
9 Dave McConnell
10 Gareth Price
11 James Taylor
12 Lee Doran
13 Mike Wainwright
Subs (all used)
14 Mark Roberts
15 Aaron Smith
16 Chris Hill
17 Andy Hobson

Tries: McConnell (8), Alstead (23, 50), Moran (23), Wainwright (34), Giles (54)
Goals: Watson 5/6, Marsh 1/1.
Field goal:
On Report: (29) – incident concerning tackle on Dave Wrench that led to Chris Hill being sent off
Sin bin: Dennis Moran (3) – holding down
Dismissal: (29) – Chris Hill

HALIFAX

1 Shad Royston
2 Lee Patterson
3 Jon Goddard
4 James Haley
5 Andy Smith
6 Graham Holroyd
7 Sean Penkywicz
8 Paul Southern
9 Janan Billings
10 Dana Wilson
11 Dave Larder
12 Richard Varkulis
13 Paul Smith
Subs (all used)
14 Damian Gibson
15 Miles Greenwood
16 Dave Wrench
17 Frank Watene

Try: Penkywicz (5, 68), Patterson (44), Haley (57), Holroyd (61), Gibson (64), Paul Smith (73)
Goals: Holroyd 7/8, Haley 0/1.

On Report: (TIME) – offence
Sin bin: Graham Holroyd (40) – holding down
Dismissal: (TIME) – offence

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Centurions: Dennis Moran
Halifax: Graham Holroyd

Penalty count: 10-13
Half-time: 24-6
Referee: Mr C Halloran.
Attendance: 2,212

SCORING SEQUENCE:
0-6, 6-6, 12-6, 16-6, 22-6, 24-6; 24-10, 30-10, 36-10, 36-16, 36-22, 36-28, 36-34, 36-40, 36-42.