Featherstone Rovers 28 Leigh Centurions 22

Fev
By Matt Lawton
February 11 2003

Leigh Centurions fell to a disappointing defeat at Post Office Road to end their dreams of a Challenge Cup run for another season.

Poor discipline and an indifferent performance meant that Leigh's hoodoo at Post Office Road was extended. Leigh have only won once in Featherstone in the past ten years and that summed up the Leigh performance today....very disappointing and totally against form.

All credit to Featherstone for a poweful performance but Leigh were their own worst enemies, with four Leigh players being sent to the sin bin.

It all started so well for Leigh when Damian Munro continued his hot scoring streak to score in the first few minutes and fill the huge travelling support with hope of that seldom victory at Post Office Road.

However, Fev came back into the game when Mark Brown levelled the scores with a try which was then converted by Stuart Dickins. More penalties from Dickins and a Danny Seal try put Featherstone in the driving seat before Lee Sanderson scored a couple of penalties to pull Leigh closer to give the home side a 16-8 half time lead.

Rovers came out for the second half determined to seal the game and looked as though they'd run away with it when another try from Danny Seal along with a try from Jamie Stokes extended their lead along with a couple of crafty drop goals from Carl Briggs.

Leigh threatened an incredible comeback to rank alongside that against Whitehaven in last season's Challenge Cup but despite tries from Dale Cardoza, David Alstead and another Damian Munro along with a Lee Sanderson goal, Leigh couldn't quite catch up with the Rovers.

However, the comeback towards the end shouldn't cover up a very poor performance and the diabolical discipline. Leigh have to improve hugely during the week before next week's vital derby game against relegated Salford City Reds at Hilton Park in the National League Cup next week.