ESL Round 17 Sunday game review

London Broncos 24 - Widnes Vikings 10

London Broncos continued their recent impressive form in the engage Super League with a crucial 24-10 victory over relegation-threatened Widnes Vikings.

The Broncos were sublime in attack and tireless in defence and thoroughly deserved the two points, while the Vikings were disappointing.

They lacked the desire and fight which had seen them make great strides in Super League over recent weeks and they will have to do some soul-searching if they are to get back on track against Bradford next week.

The Broncos? victory came courtesy of a super first-half performance. They notched up a 22-point lead, which was too big a mountain for the Vikings to climb in the second period.

Luke Dorn crossed for the opening score after he stepped his way through four Widnes defenders to race over in the corner, before London loose-forward Rob Purdham strolled over for another.

The Vikings did hit back with some smart plays of their own but the London goalline defence was up to the task each time.

Things went from bad to worse for Widnes just before half-time when Mark McLinden had too much footwork for the trailing Widnes tacklers to score and then one-time Widnes target, Thomas Leuluai, spun his way through to put the game beyond the Vikings? reach.

Paul Sykes knocked over his third conversion of the afternoon which added to the home side?s misery.

Widnes looked a hungry outfit for the start of the second half, but some decisions did not go their way and they simply could not break down the Broncos despite the best efforts of John Stankevitch and Jules O?Neill.

Widnes? frustration finally began to tell on 61 minutes when Terry O?Connor interfered at the Broncos? play-the-ball and Sykes goaled to make it 24-0.

The Vikings saved the embarrassment of a whitewash late on with a try from Gary Connolly after he latched on to Daniel Frame?s pass and then Owen Craigie crashed over in the corner on the final hooter.

Widnes: J. O?Neill, Emelio, Connolly, Fa-alogo, Viane, Craigie, Myler, O?Connor, Millard, Stankevitch, Cassidy, Whitaker, Frame.

Replacements: J. O?Neill, Smith, Holmes, Mills.

London: McLinden, Wells, Sykes, Smith, Bradley-Qalilawa, Dorn, Leuluai, Tookey, Highton, Trindall, Purdham, Hopkins, O?Halloran.

Replacements: Haumono, Williams, Lolohea, Mateo.

Widnes: 10 Tries: Connolly, Craigie. Goals: J. O?Neill.

London: 24 Tries: Dorn, Purdham, McLinden, Leuluai. Goals: Sykes 4.

Referee: Richard Silverwood (Dewsbury)

Attendance: 5,996

__________________________________ Warrington Wolves 42 - Leigh Centurians 7

Warrington?s rich run of form continued at Leigh as their ninth win in 10 games handed them a club-record fifth straight engage Super League victory.

The Wolves shrugged off the absence of influential skipper Lee Briers and Great Britain Test centre Martin Gleeson to complete a hard-fought 42-7 win and reclaim third spot in the table.

Basement outfit Leigh led 7-4 at the interval before Paul Cullen?s side moved through the gears after the restart to hit the Centurions with seven unanswered tries.

After the kick-off was delayed to accommodate the arrival of more than 3,000 Warrington supporters, they saw their side make the best possible start.

Barely 60 seconds had passed before Dean Gaskell offloaded to Nathan Wood, whose perfect pass allowed Ben Westwood to cross the line in the left-hand corner.

Chris Bridge missed the conversion before Leigh hit back strongly, claiming a try of their own after five minutes.

The impressive John Duffy found John Wilshere racing forward and he found onrushing prop Craig Stapleton, who bustled his way over the the line from close range.

Neil Turley converted to hand the Centurions the initiative and with Duffy and Turley forming an impressive half-back partnership, the hosts began to dominate.

Mark Leafa had a try disallowed for an apparent forward pass by Steve McCurrie, but Turley?s drop goal soon after gave Leigh a 7-4 interval advantage.

Cullen would doubtless have demanded a vast improvement in the second half during his half-time team talk.

They clearly heeded his message as Brent Grose?s splendid try following a run from inside his own half restored the visitors? advantage.

Bridge goaled successfully and did likewise again six minutes later after Henry Fa?afili scampered clear for his 15th engage Super League try of the season after intercepting Duffy?s pass.

The New Zealand Test wing soon collected his second try, finishing off a well-worked move in the right-hand corner to give the Wolves further breathing space.

Bridge failed to convert, but Warrington?s 20-7 advantage was a healthy one which they did not surrender.

Tensions mounted shortly before the hour mark as opposing centres Rob Jackson and Toa Kohe Love were sent to the sin-bin following an off-the-ball tussle.

Warrington then caught Leigh on the counter-attack when Bridge?s fine run and offload allowed Wood to cross the line with ease.

Bridge again converted before Wolves hooker Jon Clarke crossed the line unopposed before Bridge himself crossed the line soon after for a deserved try of his own.

Replacement Graham Appo compounded Leigh?s misery with a late breakaway try before Bridge converted successfully for the fifth time.

Leigh: Wilshere, Maden, Jackson, Kent, Smyth, Turley, J. Duffy, Fleary, Mears, Stapleton, King, McCurrie, Leafa.

Replacements: Marshall, Sturm, Stevens, Rowley.

Warrington: Grose, Gaskell, Westwood, Kohe-Love, Fa'afili, Bridge, N. Wood, Hilton, Clarke, Leikvoll, Swann, Wainwright, Noone.

Replacements: Appo, M. Gleeson, P. Wood, Lima.

Leigh: 7

Tries: Stapleton. Goals: Turley. Drop Goals: Turley.

Warrington: 42 Tries: Westwood, Grose, Fa'afili 2, N. Wood, Clarke, Bridge, Appo. Goals: Bridge 5.

Referee: Steve Ganson (St Helens)

Attendance: 7,249

Thanks to www.superleague.co.uk for another great article.