The Battle : Tue May 01, 2012 3:54 pm
The Battle to end all BattlesThe mother of all Battles
Hold onto your hats and here we go
The Leigh directors were sitting in their eyries high above the battlefield, they all looked very happy with their lot. In contrast the Fax directors who were huddled in two small slave pens, (possibly a little bit better than they’re used to at the Shay).
Smoke was billowing into the afternoon sky as the Leigh High Priests (AKA FredParky) sacrificed a Bull to the RFL Gods. FredParky smiled as he thought, “that’s another Bull cooked up.” lol
To the North of the battleground the massed hoards of the murderous Leigh Centurions. Two of their tribal leaders Starbug and jonny the Leyther were trying and with great success in driving their faithful into bloodlusting ecstasy.
At the West of the battleground the very demur Fax faithful (I don’t know how to draw a tongue in cheek) were singing their tribal song, “Fax on Fire”.
The players were on the pitch waiting for the battle referee to sound the commencement of hostilities.
FredParky was intoning a prayer for the Leythers with his arms spread out like a human cross he began, “Yae though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…..” the rest of his prayer was lost on the wind as the tribes from both sides began their battle songs.
Halifax were ready to kick-off. Battle horns are sounded and the ball is kicked high into the air, Leigh Centurions players waiting to catch the ball as Halifax screaming in blood lust as their pounding boots made a defining sound like a stampeding hoard of elephants as they charged the Centurions line.
The high ball was taken by an ex Fax player, Bob Beswick and passes to another ex Fax player Mike Ostick. Duffy makes an early kick. Rob Worrincy takes an age to collect the ball, the runs across the field. Reittie takes the ball on the next move narrowly missing a head shot. A high kick was collected on the burst by McNally and is rewarded with a penalty. That created a goal line drop out by Fax.
Both combatants driving the ball forward in the face of fearsome defending; Fax drive the ball close to the Leigh line but are repelled by ferocious defending by Leigh Centurions. Tiger Handforth puts in a short grubber kick that rebounds off a Leigh defender to be collected by Thackeray who weaves his way through the Leigh defence to score the first points of the game, the conversion by Paterson is on the mark.
Leigh kick off the ball bouncing in front of Reittie which could have easily been a banana skin. Thackeray splits the Leigh defence and charges right up the middle accompanied by the demented screams of the Fax tribes. Ben Heaton takes the ball on getting ever close to the touch line as McNally covers his line narrowing the angle. Heaton passes to Worrincy who is bundled into touch by the superb defence of young McNally.
Another Leigh penalty takes the ball close to the Fax red zone. Leigh get another penalty for ball stripping. Littler crashes into the Fax defensive line and stopped dead in his tracks. But it was left to the old war horse Duffy to show the way, going over on the left flank, try converted by the ever reliable Ridyard.
Score Leigh 6 Halifax 6
Leigh once again charge the Fax line with Beswick going very close to the Fax line. Laithwaite also takes the ball close. Short kick by Beswick is collected by Ambler. Manning takes on the whole of the Leigh defence taking the ball out of danger.
Penalty Fax
Littler drops the ball.
Ball finds it’s way to Worrincy who is in at the corner, try converted by Paterson.
Score Leigh 6 Halifax 12
Fax penalty
Kick to Worrincy who is again thwarted by McNally, but Worrincy kicks the ball forward but it is deflected into the legs of McNally and ends in touch.
Three Leigh defenders stop Gannon close to their line. Ashall takes it on and slips a neat pass that eventually gets to Paterson who dives over in style on the left flank. Conversion missed.
Half Time Score
Leigh 6 Halifax 16
The massed Fax tribes were slapping themselves on the back with big beaming smiles. Nothing will stop the mighty Fax from taking victory in to the next round of the Carnegie Challenge Cup.
The Fax tribes are only forty minutes away from glory.
Fax force a goal line drop out as Goulden forces the ball over the dead ball line. Gannon collects the ball with what looks a little nonchalant, but in so doing misses a swinging arm and takes the ball forward for 10 metres. Morrison is battered to the ground and gets a penalty for his trouble.
Leigh get a penalty for shepherding.
War horse Duffy takes the ball over the half way line but is injured in the process and takes no further part in the game.
Fieldhouse collects a Leigh kick driving the ball up but is pounced on by the Leigh defence
Fax knock on.
Hopkins breaks the Fax defence, gives a slip pass that is gratefully collected by the Fax defence.
The game continues with both sets of combatants neither giving nor asking for quarter.
Leigh penalty for a spear tackle that never was.
Could this be a game breaker?
Ridyard held up close to the Fax line. Kick to the in goal was pushed dead by the Fax defence. Morrison goes down in front of the sticks, is this a time waster?
Littler is downed close to the line, Beswick tries but is halted in his tracks.
Fax knock on.
Laithwaite drives for the line but is stopped by the Fax defence. Ridyard to Parker to Goulden who crashes through the Fax defence to score, try converted by Ridyard.
Score
Leigh 12 Halifax 16
The Fax wheels looking a little bit wobbly as the stadium reverberates to the ecstatic chants of the Leigh faithful.
Leigh penalty
Laithwaite goes over to tie the scores at 16 each with the conversion to come. Of dear!
Ridyard converts to make the score Leigh 18 Halifax 16 Oops
McNally drops the ball but the Archbishop in the middle gives a penalty to Leigh. Be Heaton is injured in a tackle and is stretchered from the field to the applause from both tribal camps.
Beswick puts the ball into the Fax red zone
Fax penalty
Tiger Handforth takes a hurried kick that doesn’t reach touch.
Beswick takes another kick that takes Leigh into the Fax red zone. Fax drive the ball back over the half way line with a fantastic run by Fieldhouse. Barlow give away a penalty.
The Ref calls Barlow over who complains of being bitten showing the marks on his arm. The matter is put on report.
Leigh crash over the Fax line to score, wait a minute the ref indicates no try. Worrincy takes the ball up. Paterson takes the ball close but is injured in the tackle, ref gives a penalty to Fax.
Tiger Handforth slots the penalty, a life line to Fax
Scores Leigh 18 Halifax 18
Full time hooter is sounded
Golden Point Extra Time
This will give Fax a good chance to win the game.
Leigh take the kick off to get the extra time under way.
Look out! The ball hits the upright and bounces back into play and is chased by Fieldhouse that subsequently bounces over the attacking Leyther, loos ball gathered by Fax.
Handforth takes a high kick that is collected by the excellent McNally and gets a penalty for his effort.
Penky is tackled in the Fax in goal area.
Bob Beswick passé the ball to Ridyard and a cool as you like he seems to take twenty minute to take the kick the sales between the uprights to win the game for the Leythers.
The Leyther tribes are ecstatic with joy, laughing crying as they sing their tribal song.
High in the stand could that be Trevor Barton with a gleam in his eye or could it be a tear of happiness as the Leyther chest is filled with potential cach.
Well done to the Leigh Centurions and their supporters.
“We’ll meet again don’t know when, but I’m sure we’ll meet again…….
