Leigh quality overcomes Batley spirit

Leigh 35 Batley 28

Leigh are one game away from Super League, but it took them all afternoon to shake off the attentions of the Batley Bulldogs yesterday and confirm their appointment with Huddersfield in the Northern Ford Premiership Grand Final at Widnes on Saturday.

"They just didn't give up. They kept coming back at us,'' said the Leigh coach Paul Terzis, who took a successful gamble on the fitness of Bobbie Goulding. "In the end, it was the extra bit of skill from our quality players that got us over the line."

Leigh dictated the tempo of the early exchanges and Batley found it all a little too quick for them. After just a minute, they allowed Goulding's high kick to bounce and Dale Cardoza took advantage with the game's first try.

Even the dismissal of Dave Whittle to the sin-bin for dissent did not slow Leigh down, although Dean Lawford kicked Batley's first point from the penalty to which Whittle had objected. While he was still off the field, Leigh went further ahead, Goulding producing a piece of magic with the ball to send Adam Bristow over for a second converted try.

When Goulding put over a drop goal all seemed to be going to plan, but Batley had reached this stage of the play-offs by being a remarkably gutsy side and they showed that quality with two tries in four minutes to take the lead.

Kris Lythe found a gap for the first and slick handling by Glen Tomlinson, Lawford and Ryan Horsley then sent Craig Lingard over.

Leigh hit the front again when a marvellous break through the middle by Paul Rowley set up Leon Felton, but Neil Turley missed the easy goal and Batley closed the gap to one point with Lawford's penalty.

Lovely handling from Lawford and Horsley put Lingard in for the try as the lead changed hands yet again at the start of the second half. Another try at that stage and Leigh would have been in deep trouble. Instead John Duffy sent Dave Bradbury over and before Batley could recover they also provided the pass that sent Jon Roper away for Ollie Marns to score.

When Simon Baldwin went over for a solo try, Leigh's place in the Grand Final finally looked secure, but that reckoned without the bulldog tenacity of Batley.

First Lawford's immaculate distribution saw Leon Williamson score and the bulky winger Chris North, went 80 yards for an amazing try. Lawford, who will be in Super League with Widnes next season, missed both conversions and Lee edged home with a little more leeway through Turley's last-minute penalty.

There was a rare sight of a beaten side doing a lap of honour, acclaimed by supporters of both teams. It was richly deserved, because Batley have shown these last few weeks what a little club can achieve.

Leigh: Turley; Felton, Cardoza, Roper, Marns; Duffy, Goulding; Bradbury, Rowley, Whittle, Balwin, Isherwood, Bristow. Substitutes used: Swann, Hamilton, Anderson, Ball.

Batley: Lingard; North, Simpson, Maun, Williamson; Tomlinson, Lawford; Bates, Lythe, Hill, Rourke, Spink, Horsley. Substitutes used: Cass, Harrison, Toohey, Cartledge.

Referee: S Ganson (St Helens).