Leigh 40 Halifax 6: Cahalane consolation try for beaten Halifax

A weakened Halifax side lost their sixth straight Super 8s Qualifiers game at Leigh Centurions, the home side running out 40-6 winners.
Mitch CahalaneMitch Cahalane
Mitch Cahalane

Richard Marshall’s part-timers headed across the Pennines devoid of some key players through injury, most notably captain Scott Murrell and Simon Grix.

Young forwards Will Calcott and Frazer Morris, on loan from Wakefield Trinity, both made their debuts but were unable to alter the momentum of a largely one-sided contest.

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The absence of Murrell’s kicking game was most keenly felt; six players had put boot to ball in open play during the opening half hour and it was the 39th minute before Shane Grady came up with a kick that pinned Leigh down near their own line.

The visitors’ defence restricted Leigh to three scores until just before the break, James Clare, Ben Reynolds and Mitch Brown all touching down, with Reynolds kicking two conversions.

And when Fax’s Mitch Cahalane forced his way over and Steve Tyrer converted, the visitors trailed just 14-6 with a couple of minutes of the half remaining.

But a mix-up between Ben Johnston and Steve Tyrer put a try on a plate for Brown, Reynold’s kicking Leigh 20-6 up.

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Leigh scored twice, through Clare and Harrison Hansen, and might have had a few more without some wayward finishing.

Reynolds missed both conversions to leave the score at 28-6, but with the visitors’ game falling apart, further touchdowns from Brown and Gregg McNally, both converted by Reynolds, pushed the winning margin out to 40-6.

Leigh: McNally, Brown, Crooks, Langi, Clare, Reynolds, Drinkwater, Maria, Hood, Tickle, Paterson, Stewart, Burr. Substitutes: Pelissier, Richards, Fleming, Hansen.

Halifax: Saltonstall, Butler, Heaton, Tyrer, Worrincy, Sio, Johnston, Douglas, Moore, Tangata, Grady, Cahalane, Fairbank. Substitutes: Calcott, F. Morris, Kaye, Boyle.

Referee: C Kendall (RFL).