Halifax 10 Leigh Centurions 48: Injury-hit Halifax suffering Cup hangover as Paul plots defeat

HALIFAX lost their 100 per cent record in the Co-operative Championship after an abject home defeat by another unbeaten side, Leigh.

The Centurions, who only escaped relegation to Championship One after Gateshead's financial collapse but had two wins and a draw to their name going into this game, have been transformed under the coaching of Australian Ian Millward.

They never looked in danger of defeat against a Halifax side who were struggling to cope with a clutch of injury problems and, on this evidence, the hangover of last week's Northern Rail Cup loss to Hunslet.

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The opening exchanges were strewn with errors from both sides, but the visitors always looked more dangerous with veteran playmaker Robbie Paul spreading the ball wide at every opportunity.

Leigh created a succession of half chances without being able to finish them, partly due to their own profligacy, partly to some efficient scrambling defence.

In the end, it was the half hour mark before the deadlock was broken, the visitors breaking through in midfield through John Duffy and Dave Armistead sent impressive stand-off Martin Ridyard over for the try.

Mick Nanyn converted and was lining up a second successful attempt a minute later after replacement forward Lee Mitchell pounced on Paul's chip kick.

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Halifax hauled themselves into contention four minutes before the break when their full-back Shad Royston forced his way over in the left corner.

But an error from the kick off saw the dual-registered St Helens prop Jacob Emmitt score for Leigh, Nanyn adding the conversion and then a penalty after Halifax's restart failed to travel 10 metres. At 20-4, Halifax had a mountain to climb, a task they never looked like accomplishing.

Leigh scored after 13 minutes of the second half when Stuart Donlan, who played for Halifax in Super League, capped a break by John Duffy, Nanyn converting.

And when Nanyn himself powered over with 57 minutes on the clock to make it 30-4, the game was as good as over.

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Halifax scored next, Bob Beswick going over from a Ben Black pass and Lee Paterson converting, but tries from Mitchell, Matty Blythe and Paul, with Nanyn and Ridyard (2) adding the conversions, rounded off a convincing win.

Halifax: Royston; Haley, Goddard, Paterson, Worrincy; Penkywicz, Black; Aizue, Beswick, Wrench, Larder, Bannister, Gene. Substitutes: Roberts, Watene, Maloney, White.

Leigh: Donlan; Maden, Blythe, Nanyn, Alstead; Ridyard, Paul; Hill, McConnell, Bibey, Taylor, Goulden, McCarthy. Substitutes: Duffy, Armitstead, Mitchell, Emmitt.

Referee: M Thomason (Warrington).