Broncos boost play-off bid

Official English Super League Round 22 game report - Sunday 24 July 2005. Full time: London Broncos 35 Huddersfield Giants 26.

Broncos boost play-off bid

London Broncos consolidated their place in the engage Super League play-offs with a hard-fought 35-26 victory over Huddersfield in front of new chairman Ian Lenagan.

Lenegan made a substantial investment in the Broncos last week ahead of a link-up with rugby union side Harlequins to be formally announced on Tuesday.

The Broncos are now four points ahead of Lenegan?s home-town club Wigan after denting the Giants? own faint hopes of a play-off spot.

The Giants could not have wished for a better start than when early pressure on the Broncos? line paid dividends as Brad Drew crossed for the opening try in the second minute.

The Broncos recovered from their lacklustre start five minutes later when Paul Sykes breezed past James Evans to touch down Mark McLinden?s pass.

Wet conditions made ball handling difficult and former Bronco Chris Thorman took advantage after 11 minutes, racing in from the base of the scrum to touch down.

Thorman then increased the Giants? lead to eight points with a penalty but the Broncos were to soon check their progress with another try. In the 24th minute Luke Dorn?s cross-field kick was flicked to Rob Purdham by Tyrone Smith to slash the Giants? lead to only two points.

The Broncos completed the turnaround after 28 minutes when Smith sent Nick Bradley-Qalilawa into the corner after McLinden had gone down the short side.

The home side were in full flow and added to their advantage when prop Mark Tookey brushed aside Lee Greenwood to touch down.

The Broncos were forced to weather incessant pressure either side of half-time as the Giants looked for a way back into the game but all they had to show for their efforts was a Thorman penalty.

The Broncos made them pay after 55 minutes when Dorn worked the ball out wide for Smith to apply the finish. Dorn then added his name to the list of try scorers after an hour when he raced home untouched from 30 metres out.

The Giants replied when Jim Gannon forced himself over the line eight minutes from time. Sykes then added a field goal to rub salt into the wounds, only to see Chris Nero grab a late consolation for the visitors.

London: Lucky Luisi, Wells, Sykes, Smith, Bradley-Qalilawa, McLinden, Dorn, Haumono, Highton, Trindall, Hopkins, Purdham, Mbu. Replacements: Lolohea, Tookey, Mateo, O?Halloran.

Huddersfield: Hemingway, O?Hare, Evans, Nero, Greenwood, Thorman, March, McDonald, Drew, Jackson, Grayshon, Smith, Crabtree. Replacements: Gannon, S. Jones, White, Clayton.

London: 35 (22) Tries: Sykes, Purdham, Bradley-Qalilawa, Tookey, Smith, Dorn. Goals: Sykes 5. Drop Goals: Sykes.

Huddersfield: 26 (14) Tries: Drew, Thorman, Gannon, Nero. Goals: Thorman 5.

Attendance: 3,221

Referee: Ashley Klein (London)

Thanks to www.superleague.co.uk for the above article