Few would argue that the performance of the weekend in the Betfred Championship was the Bradford Bulls sensational away win at second place Toulouse Olympique XIII on Saturday evening. That said, the game of the round, on paper at least, was Featherstone Rovers game against the Leigh Centurions.
The sides came into the game in fourth and fifth places on the league ladder and Leigh knew coming into the game that a win would lift them into second spot in the league, level on points with third placed York City Knights. Featherstone also had everything to play for as a win would see them go above Leigh into fourth spot on points difference.
Everything suggested a full blooded classic encounter.
It was a tremendous atmosphere in front of a big crowd as the teams entered the field, Leigh playing down the slope in the first half.
Corey Paterson scored the simplest of opening tries when he took a great pass from Martyn Ridyard and went through a massive gap in the Rovers defence to score next to the uprights. Ridyard added the goal for a tremendous early 6-0 lead after three minutes.
Featherstone back when Brad Day pushed his way over from two metres after Leigh obstructed Luke Briscoe to conceed a penalty. Dane Chisolm added the conversion to level the scores.
Leigh got their second through Liam Forsyth after a well worked move through fast hands culminating in a tip pass. Ridyard was unable to add the extras from wide.
Just before the half hour mark Briscoe levelled the scores as he sprinted down the wing and rounded behind the uprights as the Leigh defenders tired in the heat. Chisolm added the conversion to edge his side into the lead for the first time at 12-10.
Just before the interval Josh Woods timed his pass perfectly for Paterson to bust the line and go in for his second try of the afternoon. Ridyard was unable to add the conversion but the Centurions had a slender two point lead as they went into the half time break.
A wayward Ridyard pass on the Featherstone ten, with the second half just a minute old, was intercepted by Chisolm who ran ninety metres down field, evading the chasing Stefan Marsh, to score in the corner. Ben Reynolds took over the kicking duties from an exhausted Chisolm and added the conversion.
Leigh were unable to go over despite a couple of gilt edged chances, but it was Rovers who scored the next try when Josh Walters carried a couple of defenders over the line with him after a sweeping move downfield. Chisolm added the conversion on fifty-nine to put the home side ten points ahead.
Featherstone were putting in a tremendous defensive effort cheered on by their suporters as they looked to hold onto the lead and take the win.
Two minutes from full time Matty Costello put Forsyth over for a try in the corner. Ridyard added the conversion to take his side within four points of the hosts with just a couple of minutes left on the clock.
Leigh were piling on the pressure in the closing seconds but Featherstone managed to hold on and take a 24-20 win.
This was a vital win for Featherstone which takes them to fourth in the division and greatly helps their quest for a play-off place and a chance at making Super League. They played the near perfect second half to keep Leigh out until the closing few minutes. It’s not the end of the world for Leigh but they now find themselves in the last play-off place
Rovers: Golding, Briscoe (T), Carey, Hardcastle, Dagger, Reynolds (G), Chisolm (T, 3G), Makatoa, Bussey, Albert, Day (T), Walters (T), Lockwood. Subs: Maskill, Cooper, Harrison, Ormondroyd.
Centurions: McNally, Forsyth (2T), Costello, Thornley I, Marsh, Ridyard (2G), Woods, Douglas, Higham, Thompson, Adamson T, Paterson (2T), Adamson L. Subs: Hood, Cator, Emmitt, Hock.
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas.
Half-Time: 12-14.
Full-Time: 24-20.
Attendance: 3,104.
