Leigh Centurions 42 - 0 Dewsbury Rams

By Tom Coates

The Rams went into this game knowing that, barring a minor miracle, their season ended today. A perfect opportunity then to play some enterprising rugby, to prove a few doubters wrong and, most importantly, to finish the campaign with a flourish? We hoped so.

There were a few changes to the team sheet. Pat Walker missed his first game since making the number six shirt his own, presumably unable to shake off the leg injury that prematurely, and some may say mercifully, ended his outing at Doncaster the week before. Josh Weeden deputised. Many had expected Dominic Maloney to return to the pack for the final game of the season and, depending on who you talk to, his final appearance in a Dewsbury jersey. It was, however, a mix of aggression and direct running that filled the number eight and ten shirts respectively, with Andy Hobson and Joe Helme starting in the front row. There was some good news, Martin Robinson returned to his usual starting spot in the second row alongside Kevin Crouthers with Luke Haigh, Rob Kelly, Keegan Hirst and academy starlet Jake Wilson making up a very youthful looking Rams bench.

The game started well for Dewsbury. Strong running from Helme and Crouthers laid the foundation for the Rams to mount some early pressure. But it was Leigh who would take an early lead. Danger-man Aaron Heremaia burst through some soft tackling and darted down the blind side, finding support in the shape of veteran winger Leroy Rivett who ran in unopposed under the posts. Damien Couturier tagged on the simple conversion and the inevitability of a quick second score looked sadly apparent. Heremaia, once again, the architect but it was a seemingly harmless looking cross-field kick that caught Ian Preece napping and, after failing to relieve the danger, the ball was gleefully snapped by Miles Greenwood who stepped a hapless Bryn Powell to touch down beneath the sticks. Couturier added the extras and a weary looking Rams outfit were twelve behind within ten minutes.

But, for the time being at least, enthusiasm remained high and a short kick off was rewarded with possession. But, despite a knock-on and forward pass in their own quarter, the resultant scrum, possession and territory gifted to Dewsbury didn't yield any points and very little in the way of concrete chances. The closest Andy Kelly's men came in fact was a clever offload from Martin Robinson, which, agonisingly enough, only found an opposition pair of hands.

By this point Chris Hall was operating at full-back whilst Preece, it would seem, had been pulled off for his earlier mistake. Bretherton had switched to centre, Weeden was back at thirteen and Finn playing in the halves. Despite these sweeping changes amongst playing personnel, there was no such reversal in the fortunes of an out-of-form, out-of-luck Rams side. Leigh were looking hungry, enthusiastic and were regularly making great yards, particularly from broken play.

The home side were given an opportunity, from a penalty, to put real daylight between the sides seventeen minutes in. An opportunity duly taken by the boot of Couturier, the French centre had been causing the Rams problems throughout the opening forty with some deft grubber kicking, compounded with the form of the ever dangerous Heremaia.

There were some positives to come from the first half though. Jake Wilson and Keegan Hirst were making great strides down the middle, looking to be growing in confidence every game and merely exemplifying further the brilliant work done by James Ratcliffe and Warren Jowitt at academy level. Joe Helme was in typical mood, doing his best to change the momentum of a largely one sided affair with some determined drives. Conversely though, Mailangi Styles and Seb Martins were punching holes at will and it was the former who broke through to lay the foundations for an easy try out wide for Daryll Kay.

Leigh were now three scores to the good and, worryingly enough for the traveling Rams supporters, they had barely moved out of second gear. Dewsbury came agonisingly close to getting back into things shortly after though in the shape of Jake Wilson, who had instinctively followed up a tremendous Kevin Crouthers break, only to be brought down inches short of the tryline. Referee Ronnie Laughton then deemed that the ball had been knocked on and Andy Kelly's men were, once again, back to square one.

A largely uneventful second quarter was punctuated only by two further scoring opportunities for Dewsbury. Firstly, an inventive defence splitting pass from Dean Lawford, barely evaded the reach of wingman Austin Buchanan who, but for a couple of inches, was certain to crash over out wide. This frustration was doubled shortly when another impressive Crouthers break and offload was knocked down by former Rochdale full-back Chris Giles, preventing another nailed on four pointer.

Frustration seems to breed panic amongst the Dewsbury side and today was no exception. It was this unease with the ball in hand that brought about Leigh's fourth try and, many would argue, the killer blow, right before half-time. Indiscipline from the Leigh outfit had gifted the Rams decent looking field position and a chance to get themselves off the mark but, on the first tackle, it all went to waste. Obstruction was the call and three tackles later, the Centurions were over for a soft try. Chris Giles broke through a disheartened looking defensive line, the conversion was made and the lads had a real mountain to climb in the second half.

Half-time: 24 – 0

The first chance of the second period, and, much like the first half, the majority of the early pressure, belonged to the Rams. Bryn Powell, of whom we had seen little in the first forty, broke the line to make good yards. But from the following play, the ball was spilled and heads were firmly back in hands. The visiting team that started the second half however, were looking more enthusiastic, more interested, they were offloading more and running harder. This renewed optimism on the field began to rub off on the terraces and the first, albeit laboured, rendition of 'Andy Kelly's Barmy Army' rang round.

With enthusiasm however, often comes naivety. Eagerness in the tackle, perhaps combined with a lingering frustration, was replaced by unnecessary aggression and, unfortunately, this was merely a taste of what would erupt into the overriding headline of an otherwise stagnant contest. The momentum, by this time, was now back with the hosts and a couple of half chances later, they were over again. Chris Giles, who was having a great game in attack and defence, collected a neat offload to canter over unopposed. With Couturier taken off as a precaution after an earlier collision, kicking duties were now with Heremaia who made no mistake in taking his side's tally to thirty.

In fairness to Kelly and his charges, it wasn't all one way traffic, but two half-chances to Austin Buchanan fetched no reward and, when the kick to set up the latter opportunity flew over the former Wakefield man's head, it was clear to see that it just wasn't going to be our day.

The astute Leigh kicking game, marshaled brilliantly by Heremaia, was devastating the Rams' cover defence. The re-introduction of Ian Preece at full-back made little difference to proceedings, this time the fearless full-back was forced into touch after gallantly retrieving a perfectly weighted clearance kick by the merciless chasing pack. The resultant Centurions set bore no fruit however, and the following Rams set provided Keegan Hirst with the opportunity to make great inroads down the middle of the park. Unfortunately, this fighting spirit was not reflected elsewhere and the indiscipline that had plagued the Rams' cause on countless occasions this season once again bore it's ugly head. Andy Hobson who had just returned to the field was almost immediately sent back again for a high tackle. The yellow card being brandished by Mr. Laughton, one would assume, as punishment for persistent foul play. Most supporters, and even those of the red, amber and black persuasion, could have few gripes with this decision.

Things turned even uglier shortly after. An exchange of words between Kevin Crouthers and Mailangi Styles soon escalated into a mass brawl, with players from both sides running in from all angles. Styles and Crouthers were subsequently ejected from the field of play for ten minutes and, with both sets of fans baying for blood, one wondered what incentive, or chance, the referee had of bringing this encounter to an amicable and civilized conclusion. A simple try for Leroy Rivett in the corner shortly after, at least, if anything, gave both sides chance to take stock and think about why they were on the pitch in the first place.

By now, as could probably be expected, neither side was playing attractive or even competent rugby and by the time Joe Helme was dismissed for a pretty innocuous looking swinging arm, the majority of traveling Dewsbury fans, including this reporter, were waiting with baited breath for the final whistle. Not the way anybody would want to end what has been an exciting and, more importantly, successful campaign, I agree, but it really was that kind of game. Sebastian Martins, who must have been the only person in the ground with any shred of focus remaining, powered over out wide to round off the scoring in the final minute, the conversion was missed and a battered and bruised Dewsbury side limped over the National League One finish line in 7th place.

Final Score: 42 - 0