London Broncos 23 Halifax 16: No medals for Halifax despite their endeavour

But the Championship coach of the year admitted his team will have to improve against Toronto after a narrow win over Halifax.

“It was disappointing but stepping back and looking where we are going into next week in the Million Pound Game, it’s fantastic,” he said. “We are going to be going in as underdogs.”

Halifax took the lead when hooker Ben Kaye dived through the Broncos backs before Scott Murrell wonderfully chipped through for Steve Tyrer to score.

But the hosts rallied when Jarrod Sammut leapt through a tight gap to reduce the deficit and Eloi Pelissier drew the sides level three minutes later.

The visitors scored their third try when Adam Tangata had the power to inch his way down the right for 16-12 half-time lead.

The decisive score eventually came with 20 minutes to go when Sammut’s inch-perfect high kick was knocked back to Kieran Dixon to score.

Elliot Kear scored with 12 minutes remaining as Sammut added a last-second drop goal.

Halifax head coach Richard Marshall admitted to not being too downhearted by the result that left his side without a win in their last seven matches.

“It would have been nice to get two points on the board,” he said.

“If we are giving out medals for hard work and endeavour, we would have a full sleeve.

“The players are frustrated, we think we are better than that. That’s a really good sign that we aren’t happy with competing.”

London Broncos: Walker, Dixon, Hellewell, Kear, Williams, Pitts, Sammut, Evans, Pelissier, Ioane, Hindmarsh, Gee, Battye. Substitutes: Spencer, Lovell, Adebiyi, Davies.

Halifax: Woodburn-Hall, Moss, Tyrer, Heaton, Sharp, Murrell, Johnston, Fleming, Kaye, Fairbank, Tangata, Butler, Moore. Substitutes: C. Davies, C. Davies, Douglas, Cooper.

Referee: Gareth Hewer (RFL).