Leigh Centurions v. Rochdale Hornets preview

The Hornets
By Matt Lawton
April 12 2003

The Centurions welcome Rochdale Hornets to Hilton Park tomorrow for what is an ultimately meaningless game in the Arriva Trains Cup.

With the Centurions already safely through to the next round of the competition and Rochdale already out, it seems the best entertainment of the afternoon will not be when the first team take on Rochdale, but when the Leigh Under 18 side take on arch rivals Wigan in what is sure to be a no-holds barred "friendly" prior to the first team game (U18 kick off 12.45pm).

Centurions bosses will be hoping that Sunday's televised Challenge Cup Semi Final between Bradford Bulls and Wigan Warriors starts poorly so that people decide to come to Hilton Park to watch Leigh, instead of staying in front of the television watching the two Super League sides battle it out for a place in the Challenge Cup Final against Leeds Rhinos, who won a thrilling encounter against St. Helens earlier today.

As for the first team, they will again be without hooker John Hamilton who is still sidelined with a hand injury, and centre Dale Cardoza, who was sent off in last weekend's shock defeat against National League Two outfit Chorley Lynx.

Leigh Centurions coach Paul Terzis has promised a backlash from last weekend's demoralising defeat, let's hope the backlash comes to fruition to appease the vultures at Terzis' door following two consecutive defeats.