Double injury blow wrecks Centurions' chances

Mike Hulme reports from the McAlpine Stadium

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UST who can stop the Giants' march back into Super League? On this evidence, not Leigh.

In a mirror-image of the regular NFP season, the Centurions finished a distant second in a two-horse race.

Leigh may still be favourites to reach the Grand Final on October 12 but they are going to have to lift their game several notches of they are to stop the Huddersfield juggernaut rolling back into the elite division.

Leigh have the safety net of a home Major Semi-Final against either Batley or Oldham but the possible loss of half-backs John Duffy and Bobbie Goulding doesn't make that game a foregone conclusion.

Serious injuries to Duffy and Goulding within three minutes of each other in the first half at the McAlpine undoubtedly wrecked their chances of toppling the Giants. Without their two chief playmakers, Leigh had little direction and only rarely threatened the Huddersfield tryline.

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uffy was the first to be shipped off to hospital, damaging his hip and ribs in a collision as he chased a kick through. Only three minutes later and Goulding was joining him, badly concussed after his attempted crash tackle on Rob Roberts went badly wrong.

Willie Swann, Paul Rowley and John Hamilton all tried to put some spark in Leigh's strangely misfiring attack but the travelling Red Army had to wait until the 52nd minute to celebrate their first try.

By that time the game was well out of reach with the Giants ruthlessly building up a 28-0 lead, hungrily feeding of Leigh's many errors.

The Centurions error-rate was their biggest failing, a point acknowledged by coach Paul Terzis.

"We gave the ball over too cheaply. In games like this have to be able to execute and we didn't. They made the most of our errors and made us pay. We have a lot to learn from them. They know how to build pressure and make the most of their opportunities.

"I thought we showed a lot of character by still taking the game to them even after we'd lost Duffy and Goulding. But when we got within striking distance, again our execution was poor."

With Leigh's two playmakers off to hospital, it gave the Giants trio of Steve McNamara, Stanley Gene and Chris Thorman plenty opportunity to direct operations. All three were considerable controlling influences and played big parts in the Giants' success.

It took more than 17 minutes for the first points to come. Huddersfield had marginally shaved the opening exchanges and went in front from one of Leigh's many mistakes. Winger Oli Marns climbed highest to take in McNamara's angled bomb but was unable to hold on and presented the alert Gene with an easy try from 15 metres. McNamara goaled for a 6-0 lead.

Sub Paul Anderson's good footwork and deft pass almost got Simon Baldwin over, the second rower appearing to bounce the ball as he lunged for the line.

Leigh had barely got over their disappointment when prop Dave Whittle missed a one on one tackle on McNamara, the loose forward straightening up to gallop in for a 10-0 lead.

That deficit may have been manageable but when they turned round 16-0 down, the Centurions were as good as finished. Gene created Huddersfield's third try of the half, drilling a kick behind Leon Felton and wide of Neil Turley for Marcus St Hilaire to pounce and score at the corner.

Eight minutes into the second half the Giants killed the game stone dead and again it was two fundamental mistakes that were Leigh's downfall.

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n the first set of the half Simon Knox lost possession and three plays later Thorman was crashing through Turley's tackle to score at the foot of the posts. When Marns coughed the ball up under pressure from Heath Cruckshank, McNamara's inside pass put Thorman in again. Two goals from McNamara made it 28-0.

At that point the final score could have been anything but the Centurions dug in and on 52 minutes Jon Roper intercepted a Thorman pass on his own '22' and set sail for the opposite end. He was chased down by Ben Cooper but Swann crossed from dummy half for Turley to add the extras.

McNamara extended the Giants lead with a penalty before Leigh posted their second try when Dale Cardoza forced his way over in the corner from Rowley's cut out pass.

Turley twice cut down St Hilaire in full flight to save Leigh further pain but in the closing minutes Graeme Hallas produced a peach of a pass in a tackle to get sub Andy Rice over.

Match Facts

Scorers: Huddersfield - Tries: Thorman (42, 48); Gene (17); McNamara (29); Hilaire (39); Rice (73). Gls: McNamara 5/6, Thorman 1/1.

Leigh - Tries: Swann (52), Cardoza (65). Gls: Turley 1/2.

Leigh: Turley; Felton, Cardoza, Roper, Marns; Duffy, Goulding; Bradbury, Rowley, Whittle, Baldwin, Isherwood, Swann. Subs: Ball (for Whittle 55), Hamilton (for Duffy 22), Anderson (for Baldwin 18); Knox (for Bradbury 26); Baldwin (for Goulding 26); Bradbury (for Isherwood 66); Whittle (for Cardoza 73).

Huddersfield: St Hilaire; O'Hare, Crabtree, Cooper, Hallas; Gene, Thorman; Slicker, March, Wittenberg, Atkins, Roberts, McNamara. Subs: Cruckshank (for Slicker 34); Molyneux (for Roberts 67); Turner (for Wittenberg 28); Rice (for McNamara 61); Slicker (for Cruckshank 70); Roberts (for Turner 76); McNamara (for Thorman BB).

Penalties conceded: Leigh 10, Huddersfield 8.

Handling errors: Leigh 17, Huddersfield 8.

Referee: Ian Smith (Oldham).

Attendance: 5424.

man of match

rNOT a game that many will care to remember. Swann and Rowley laboured manfully, but for all-round graft, with and without the ball, the award goes to John Hamilton.

moan of the match

rTHE double loss of Duffy and Goulding in quick succession cut Leigh off at the knees. A tough job became impossible without their playmakers.magic

rTHE thousands of Leigh fans who stayed to the bitter end to cheer off their heroes. It must have meant a lot to the players.