Widnes Vikings 8 Leigh Centurions 10
By Dave Parkinson.
The Centurions claimed their first win of the busy Easter period with a late, late success over full-time Widnes. The Vikings are much fancied this season but Leigh matched them pound-for-pound, pass for pass and kick to kick in an intense battle at the Stobart Stadium Halton.
Okay, the game won’t live long in the memory for flowing rugby but for knife edge tension and sheer never-say-die attitude it was the place to be.
Leigh hadn’t won a Good Friday encounter with Widnes since 2006 and when penalties were being awarded against the Centurions left, right and centre by Barnsley whistler Ronnie Laughton, even the most optimistic of Leigh fans must have thought the run would continue.
In the end, Leigh lost the penalty count 15-9 but seven penalties came during the opening nine minutes. Leading 5-2 in that count, Widnes built pressure and threatened before a pet play by Anthony Thackeray – the inside pass- proved too good for Leigh and Loz Wildbore streaked over for Gavin Dodd to convert.
The Vikings continued to up the pressure with an angled kick from John Duffy and chase from Josh Simm trapped Leigh behind their line but former Leigh second rower Lee Doran spilled an almost certain try.
At the other end Lee Marsh and Stuart Donlan forced a drop out but from the resulting possession Adam Higson was forced to hand over on the last tackle. One time Centurion Academy player Richard Varkulis spilled the ball after 20 minutes but the Vikings remained in control of the position with Leigh and Ian Watson opting to kick the ball back to their opponents.
After 25 minutes, Leigh threw Widnes born Jamie Durbin into the game with Dave Armitstead making his welcome comeback from injury. With their variation and excellent forward displays from Chris Hill, James Taylor, Kurt Haggerty and Mike Morrison, the Centurions came more into the contest but with defences on top and attacks somewhat blunt, the score remained the same.
Towards the end of the half, Widnes forced two drop outs but Leigh defended superbly and trailed 6-0 at the interval.
Early in the second half Jim Gannon made a break inside the Leigh 20 but Ian Mort with a little help from team mates was able to snuff out the danger. Still Widnes kept up the pressure with only great work from Sam Reay and Steve Maden putting Dean Gaskell in touch.
At the other end Lee Marsh, Taylor and Mort fashioned a break before a contentious penalty was awarded against Morrison when Wildbore looked to offload the ball in a tackle. Dodd stepped up to make it 8-0 but this seemed to galvanise Leigh’s efforts.
The Centurions ground their way forward using a simple gameplan that frustrated the Vikings and with James Webster largely anonymous, Leigh took advantage.
The breakthrough came after 63 minutes when from close range, Dave McConnell, Maden, Taylor, Hill and Durbin combined to put Donlan in for an unconverted try. That blew the contest wide open and with renewed confidence Taylor went close before Marsh saw his pass intercepted by Simm.
A couple of penalties brought Widnes downfield and Gaskell saw an effort disallowed in the corner when Maden and Reay combined to put the former Leigh winger over the touchline. The Vikings were looking for a killer blow and they managed to work an overlap for Paddy Flynn to go 30 metres down the touchline but Hill showed tremendous speed and along with Andy Hobson, the winger was put in touch.
As the clock ticked down, Leigh launched a raid through McConnell. He carried play inside the twenty before being able to smuggle the ball out to the supporting Mort who held off two defenders to touch down before striking the conversion that helped Leigh claim the narrow win.
LEIGH: Ian Mort, Nick Stanton, Stuart Donlan, Sam Reay, Steve Maden; Lee Marsh, Ian Watson; Andy Hobson, Dave McConnell, Chris Hill, Adam Higson, James Taylor, Kurt Haggerty. Subs: Mike Morrison, Dave Armitstead, Jamie Durbin, Danny Meekin.
Tries: Donlan 63, Mort 79
Goals: Mort 1/2.
WIDNES: Loz Wildbore, Paddy Flynn, Richard Varkulis, Gavin Dodd, Dean Gaskell; Anthony Thackeray, James Webster; Michael Ostick, Mark Smith, Jim Gannon, Lee Doran, Josh Simm, John Duffy. Subs: Ben Kavanagh, Sam Thompson, Scott Yates, Shane Grady.
Try: Wildbore 9.
Goals: Dodd 2/2.
Referee: Mr R Laughton.
Penalties 15-9 to Widnes.
Halftime: 6-0 to Widnes.
Attendance: 4,354.
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