SALFORD CITY REDS 46
LEIGH CENTURIONS 12
By Dave Parkinson
Leigh Centurions lost ground on the top four after a disappointing last half hour at the Willows that saw the City Reds run in five tries.
Until that point it had been a competitive display from the Centurions who haven’t won at Salford since 1983.
The City Reds, buoyant following the Super League Licensing panel decision to grant them a three year franchise ahead of the Centurions and Widnes, got away to a great start when Stefan Ratchford moved the ball left, Luke Adamson fed the ball wide and cleverly drew Lee Marsh to him as Paul White skipped inside for his 24th try of a productive season. Former Leigh ace John Wilshere struck the first of seven goals and Leigh trailed 6-0.
Back came the Centurions however as they completed solidly on the back of sound forward play from the likes of James Taylor, Lee Doran, Mike Morrison and Aaron Smith. Smith in particular seemed to be everywhere and proved a major source of inspiration.
Leigh closed the gap to just two points following a try on their first meaningful attacking set. Marsh took the ball in and put a pass out that was palmed behind his own line by Matt Gardner. Ian Mort was quickest to react and touch down before Karl Fitzpatrick could shuffle the ball dead. Indeed on the back of the kicking game employed by Ian Watson and Marsh, Fitzpatrick was turned time and again and one promising attack involving Mark Roberts saw the former Halifax man crunch the fullback and force a drop out.
At the other end of the field Leigh worked overtime before a loose offload from Doran was missed by Tony Stewart. As Dave Alstead closed in, Gardner collected the ball and ran around the outside of Alstead from 30 metres. Wilshere struck the crossbar and Leigh trailed 10-4.
On several occasions the City Reds threatened but valiant try line defence forced errors from Fitzpatrick, Stephen Bannister and Ratchford while Phil Leuluai was held up over the line.
The sides hit the break with the 10-4 scoreline and Neil Kelly opted to send his troops back onto the pitch early before delivering a few individual words of encouragement.
Two minutes after the resumption, Salford scored a controversial try. Leigh moved in to tackle Reds skipper Malcolm Alker on the last tackle and referee Ron Laughton was all set to blow for the turnover with forward motion stopped when Alker gathered momentum again and touched down. Leigh players looked bemused as Wilshere added the extras but Leigh pulled a score back four minutes later.
Leigh came back at the Reds and Watson threaded an angled grubber kick to the corner for Alstead to pounce for his 12th try of the season. This time Lee Marsh missed the conversion. But Leigh were back in contention at 16-8.
That was as close as the second half got for the Centurions and when Alker was allowed to skip away from dummy half forty metres out, Fitzpatrick followed up before the supporting Richard Myler finished the move. It became 28-8 after 53 minutes when Alstead gift wrapped a try for Wilshere, shadowing the ball instead of putting over the line, the Papua New Guinea international converted and the game looked beyond Leigh.
Still the City Reds flooded forward and after Leigh did a good job of holding them on their left, the ball was moved to Adam Sidlow and he charged into the clear from 10 metres.
After forcing a drop out and then winning a penalty, Salford registered their seventh try of the evening after 65 minutes when Leigh showed Ratchford a gap he stepped past Doran and had the strength to hold off Mort.
Salford scored their final try ten minutes from time after two penalties and forcing a drop out. By the fourth tackle Leigh were stretched and Jordan Turner picked his way through from 15 metres. Wilshere added his final goal before Leigh rallied at the end.
A 77th minute scrum saw Leigh work a move. Marsh and Watson opened the defence for returning Adam Rudd to unselfishly play Mort his second try, but he was unable to convert.
Leigh had a final opportunity for points when Smith, Marsh and Mort combined to open the defence but Mark Roberts saw the ball pop out from his grasp when it looked easier to score and the final hooter went to bring an end to a week the Centurions would rather forget.
MAN-OF-THE-MATCH: Honourable mentions to James Taylor and Adam Higson for a whole hearted defensive effort while Lee Marsh took the game to his first professional club but Aaron Smith gets it for his overall workrate at loose forward and hooker.
MAGIC MOMENT: That scrum move in the 77th minute, okay the game had gone but the way Ian Watson opened the defence and Adam Rudd hit the gap could bode well for the rest of the season.
MOAN OF THE MATCH: Leigh’s defence let them down at the back end of their sets. It seemed in the early tackles, the Centurions got to grips with Salford then didn’t quite have the conviction to finish the remainder. It is something the Centurions will need to smarten up on quickly with four games remaining if they are to secure a play-off position.
SALFORD: Fitzpatrick, Gardner, Littler, Wilshere, White; Ratchford, Myler; Nash, Alker, Stapleton, Bannister, Adamson, Turner; Highton, Sidlow, Sibbit, Leuluai.
Tries: White, Gardner, Alker, Myler, Wilshere, Sidlow, Ratchford, Turner.
Goals: Wilshere 7/8
LEIGH: Mort, Alstead, Stewart, Kohe-Love, Maden; Marsh, Watson; Morrison, McConnell, Doran, Higson, Taylor, Smith; Roberts, Rudd, C. Hill, Cookson.
Tries: Mort 2, Alstead.
Goals: Watson 0/1, Marsh 0/1, Mort 0/1.
Halftime Score: 10-4
Referee: Mr R Laughton.
Penalties: 13-8
Attendance: 4,554
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