Hall fires Broncos' play-off dream

Halifax 16 London 36

A Broncos win spearheaded by two tries from Steve Hall moved them to within touching distance of the Super League play-off zone.

This result, coupled with Widnes' shock home defeat to Salford, leaves London just a point adrift of the top six and, despite a Halifax rally at the start of the second half, they always looked the likelier winners.

Missing their main playmaker Andrew Dunemann far more than London did their various absentees, Halifax were soon behind to three goals from Tony Martin and a soft close-range try from Neil Budworth.

Their only moment of note in the first half came when Gavin Clinch launched a 40/20 kick and Shayne McMenemy sent Stuart Donlan over with a neat pass.

London were always the more incisive with the ball in their hands and it was a particularly slick passing move that ended with Martin giving Hall the chance to dive in low for his first.

Immediately before half-time, Steele Retchless and Nigel Roy linked up equally well for French centre Sylvain Houles to claim their third try, with Martin landing his fourth goal.

Halifax's best spell began with Jamie Thackray bludgeoning his way over and continued with a freak try when Sean Penkywicz' kick came back of Houles' heels for Colum Halpenny to touch down.

Without looking remotely like potential victors, Halifax were suddenly within four points but the Broncos put an end to any illusion of a revival with a move along the line once again rounded off by Martin's pass to Hall.

The former St Helens' winger was within inches of his hat-trick but London still emphasised their superiority in the last few minutes with tries from Gary Price and Roy.

Their coach Tony Rea paid to tribute to what he called "a real captain's knock'' from Jim Dymock in the absence of Jason Hetherington and Richie Barnett, but declined to get too excited about his side's play-off prospects. "We're not looking at all that. We're just looking at ourselves,'' Rea admitted.

For his opposite number, Steve Linnane, there was little positive to look at in this display. "We haven't got good enough players at the moment,'' the Halifax coach said. "And some players need to change their attitude and approach to the game. Some of them aren't on new contracts yet and need better performances than today to get one.''

Halifax: Flowers, Greenwood, Halpenny, Donlan, Beckett, Hammond, Clinch, Goldspink, Lawless, Birchall, Gannon, Brocklehurst, McMenemy. Substitutes used: Hobson, Thackray, Penkywicz, Bloem.

London: Sykes, Hall, Martin, Roy, Houles, Dymock, Moran, Bawden, Budworth, Marshall, Retchless, Toshack, Purdham. Substitutes used: Gillett, Hepworth, Shaw, Price.

Referee: R Smith (Castleford).