2003 Season Reports: LEIGH 26 FEATHERSTONE 6

LEIGH CENTURIONS 26
FEATHERSTONE ROVERS 6
Leigh marched into the semi-finals of the Arriva Trains Cup with a 26-6 win over Featherstone Rovers. After beating the same team 50-12 last week, the Centurions couldn't scale the same heights but the performance was solid and particularly in defence, organised.

The Centurions made a fine start to the game with a try from top scorer Damian Munro after just four minutes following a cross-kick from Pat Weisner that had Adrian Flynn in all kinds of trouble. Weisner hooked his conversion attempt wide.

Leigh continued their good start with penetrating runs from Sonny Nickle, Paul Norman and Sean Richardson while John Hamilton, making his first full appearance of the season, also worked hard. Rovers defence cracked again in the 16th minute when a sharp pass from Weisner found Dale Cardoza running a good line that took him past Chris Langley and Brendan O'Meara over the try-line.

That was as good as the first half got for Leigh as Featherstone battled back into contention with more possession but all they could muster in reply was a Stuart Dickens penalty after the prop had missed with an earlier effort.

Trailing 8-2 at the interval, Rovers made the worst possible start to the second half, conceding possession from the kick-off. Despite this Featherstone upped their defence while Leigh struggled in attack. A number of speculative offloads saw the Centurions turn the ball over at regular intervals before Cardoza broke the deadlock with a determined dive from acting half-back.

Weisner struck his first conversion then missed with a long range drop-goal attempt before Flynn replied for Featherstone wide out after Ian Brown fed the winger from Carl Briggs kick. Briggs missed the conversion but the score started Featherstone's best spell of the game.

Only good defence prevented a second Rovers try when Adam Bristow and Dave Alstead dislodged the ball from Steve Dooler's grip in a legitamate tackle over the line. The Centurions weathered the storm and replied through John Duffy after the halfback was helped over the line by Bristow and substitute Rob Ball.

Featherstone tried to respond but a loose pass from Dooler bounced away from Andy Jarrett and Leigh winger Munro collected and blazed 45 metres for a superb solo effort that Weisner converted from the touchline to confirm a comfortable if less polished victory.

Team: Alstead, Munro, Cardoza, Kendrick, Hadcroft; Weisner, Duffy; Nickle, Hamilton, Norman, Richardson, Bristow, Swann; Ball, Henare, Rivett, Bradbury.

Tries: Munro (4, 72), Cardoza (16, 50), Duffy (69).
Goals: Weisner 3/5.

Featherstone: Graham, Stokes, Langley, Brown, Flynn; O'Meara, Briggs; Tonks, Darley, Dickens, Dooler, Rice, Seal; Whiting, Jarrett, Bailey, Molyneux.



Attendance: 1,668.