Wakefield implode against Leigh in Challenge Cup to extend awful run

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/may/17/wakefield-trinity-leigh-challenge-cup-match-report

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It was around this time last year when Leigh Centurions started to become the team on everyone’s lips in rugby league - and they seem intent on doing it again.

Their 25-12 defeat to Leeds Rhinos in the Challenge Cup 12 months ago really told only half the story, and had the ball bounced slightly differently that night, Leigh could have easily progressed. Instead, Leeds were the ones who advanced, on a run that would see them eventually lift the famous old trophy.

Since that night, Leigh have won the Championship, and are currently on a 25-match unbeaten run as they launch a bid to make it into Super League in 2016.

That’s why this game, which pitted top of the Championship against bottom of the Super League in Wakefield, was seen as another firm indicator of Leigh’s credentials as a potential top-tier side.

Down 22-0 midway through the first half, some teams would have crumbled. But not Leigh; that is not their way. They dug deep and saw off a brave Wakefield side to ensure a Challenge Cup quarter-final berth for the second consecutive year Warrington are the next Super League side in sight for Paul Rowley’s team.

“It was the easiest half-time speech I’ve ever said,” Rowley said. “My team know how to play and that wasn’t us in the first 40. When we have a fair share of possession we’re a good team. We knew they hadn’t scored enough points with the territory they’d had.”

On the cup draw, Rowley said: “It’s a really good draw; Warrington are a good team and they’re very well coached but we’ll give it a real go.”

As for Wakefield, they appeared to have one foot in the last eight when they were cruising in the first half, but somehow conspired to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. The attitude of their coach, James Webster, summed up the mood in Wakefield’s camp following 11 successive league defeats. He wished the assembled journalists “the best of luck” following his media call, during which he lamented: “We threw it away. We didn’t touch the ball for too long and it just sums up our season. If teams put pressure on Wakefield we just crumble. It’s typical us; we fell in a heap. I want to be part of the future but we’ll see what happens.”

The Wildcats roared into their early lead with some sensational rugby, but when Ryan Brierley hauled Leigh back into it with a score before the interval, it gave them hope heading into the second half. Tries from Jonathan Pownall, Bob Beswick and Tom Armstrong levelled it up heading into the final quarter, before Wakefield offered their fans brief hope yet again through a Jon Molloy try.

It proved futile though, as scores from Sam Hopkins and Oliver Wilkes ensured it would be the Centurions again making all the headlines – just as they have done for the last 12 months. They are not a Super League side yet but on the basis of this performance, they are edging closer.

Wakefield Hall; Owen, Collis, Arundel, Riley; Miller, T Smith; Scruton, McShane, Anderson, Washbrook, Kirmond, Kavanagh. Interchange Molloy, Paea, Lauitiiti, Simon.

Tries Riley, Arundel 2, Scruton, Molloy. Goals Hall 5. Sin-bin Kirmond (45).

Leigh McNally; Pownall, Platt, Armstrong, Kay; Ridyard, Brierley; Moimoi, Beswick, Hock, Goulden, Dixon, Acton. Interchange Haggerty, Hopkins, Wilkes, Barlow.

Tries Brierley, Pownall, Beswick, Armstrong, Hopkins, Wilkes. Goals Ridyard 6. Sin-bin: Kay (45).

Referee: B Thaler