Rochdale Hornets 22 - 28 Leigh Centurions

Rochdale Hornets 22 - 28 Leigh Centurions

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For the second week running, against the same opposition, Hornets had what appeared to be a perfectly good try chalked off and it cost them a game they deserved to win. To be fair to the officials, Hornets also had themselves to blame for not being in the fifth round draw as slow starts to both halves let Leigh set the pace and poor handling in front of the posts saw them spurn a number of good opportunities.

Leigh started well and caught Hornets napping with two quick tries; Hopkins burst through the Hornets line and fed a short ball to Wilkes to score. Wilkes added his and Leigh's second as he crossed the line on the final tackle. Ridyard converted both to gave Leigh a 12 point lead with just ten minutes on the clock.

Leigh had dominated the opening play and looked dangerous with every attack and the only surprise was it took another 15 minutes before they increased their lead. Ridyard breaking through after a period of sustained pressure. Ridyard added the extras and Hornets were in deep trouble 18 points behind after 25 minutes.

The saying goes, when the going gets tough, the tough get going and so it was as Hornets finally woke from their slumber, dug deep and quick hands put Casey in out wide. Crook missed with his conversion attempt but Hornets were off the mark.

Hornets began to press and have more of the ball and the pressure told when slick hands put English in under the posts. Crook had an easy kick to add the two and pull Leigh back to an eight point lead.

With half time approaching, Leigh thought they had scored again when Sarsfield went over but Ridyard's pass was rightly judged forward.

Half time: Rochdale Hornets 10 - 18 Leigh Centurions

Leigh started the second half as they did the first, catching Hornets napping and with just two minutes played the Hornets defence went AWOL and allowed Brierley acres of space out wide and he raced in at the corner. Ridyard had his kicking boots on as he kicked superbly from the touch line to add the extras.

Leigh soon added another try as again Hornets failed to cover out wide and McNally slid in at the corner.

Hornets coach, Talbot, was livid and could be heard screaming into his radio to send a message via the Hornets bench to cover the Leigh wide men.

With Leigh back 18 points in front, the hundreds of supporters who had travelled from Leigh were singing and dancing and already celebrating their place in the fifth round draw, however, they reckoned without the grit and determination Hornets have shown on more than one occasion this season.

With their backs to the wall Hornets began to move the ball around and press deep into the Leigh half. Despite the pressure the Leigh defence held firm and it took a huge slice of luck to break through, a speculative kick bounced in front of Leigh last man McNally and hit him on the head only to bounce straight into the grateful arms of Jordan Case, who had the simple task of going in under the posts.

To be fair to Hornets the luck was nothing more than they deserved and Crook added the extras to peg Leigh back to 12 points.

Hornets should have scored again when the referee awarded a penalty just short of the Leigh line but  Hornets knocked on and the opportunity went begging.

Then came the most controversial moment in the game as Hornets had what appeared to be a perfectly good try ruled out by the referee. Leigh's Liam Kay fumbled a kick through by Paul Crook, who pounced on the loose ball, dived over the line only for the referee to call play back. An already puzzling decision became a bizarre decision when the referee called a scrum and gave Hornets the feed! It is perhaps as well the referee could not hear what Hornets coach Talbot was screaming from high up in the stand.

Hornets could have been forgiven for letting their heads drop but there was no feeling sorry for themselves and they continued to press hard and deep in the Leigh half. Twice they came close but loose hands let them down before Casey chipped superbly for English to collect, run on and score. With Crook converting Hornets were back within six points and looking the better side.

Time and again Hornets came close but the Leigh defence stood firm and tackled well and when Hornets did look like breaking through, unforced errors allowed Leigh off the hook.

Leigh finally relieved the pressure with a storming run by Wilkes, who was obstructed out wide. It was a measure of the Leigh nerves that rather than run the ball they opted to kick, but Ridyard's attempt was well wide.

Into the last five minutes and Hornets were again piling on the pressure and Leigh's defending was becoming more and more desperate. Again a knock on when close to the Leigh line gave Leigh respite.

The game on a knife edge the players nerves were clearly fraying and a fracas saw Haggerty cautioned. The resulting penalty was kicked into the Leigh half by Crook and Hornets pressed Leigh hard and, with seconds remaining, reached the ten metre line but the last chance to level the game went begging as another knock on let Leigh off.

For the second time in successive weeks, Hornets had given Leigh a very tough game, and on both occasions arguably deserved to win, but whilst the referee was culpable with his bizarre decision to chalk off a good Hornets try, Hornets must face the hard truth that too many unforced errors close to the Leigh line ultimately cost them the game.

Leigh breathed a huge sigh of relief at the hooter and will play Featherstone Rovers in the Challenge Cup fifth round.

For Hornets, it's back to the league campaign but no doubt greatly encouraged by the way they have performed against Leigh, who top the table having started the season unbeaten.

Attendance: 1,007

Rochdale Hornets: Wayne English, Sean Casey, Danny Davies, Michael Ratu, Lewis Sheridan, Paul Crook, Ryan Millard, John Cookson, James Dandy, Warren Thompson, Chris Baines, Alex Clare, James Tilley
Replacements: Liam Gilchrist, Ste Marsh, Adam Bowman, Jordan Case

Leigh Centurions: Gregg McNally, Adam Higson, Cameron Pitman, Stuart Littler, Liam Kay, Sean Penkywicz, Tom Spencer, Ryan Brierley, Martin Ridyard, Sam Hopkins, Matt Sarsfield, Oliver Wilkes, Kurt Haggerty
Replacements: Andrew Thornley, Jamie Acton, Bob Beswick