Now I've been writing regularly for the Rugby League Express since 2004 but I did infact "make my debut" a few years earlier. Now it wasn't doing a big game, or covering Chorley, or even a first team game at Leigh it was when the paper had full match reports for their Academy coverage, similar to this past couple of seasons.
I sent the following in speculatively and was chuffed when it was printed although at the time doing the official website of Leigh it meant that they wouldn't accept further work in case they were seen to be biased.
Leigh Academy 60 Featherstone Academy 6.
By Dave Parkinson.
@ Hilton Park, 2nd September 2000.
Second placed Leigh Centurions took on third placed Featherstone Rovers in the first qualification play-off and blew the Yorkshiremen away with a superb second half performance.
Following a spirited start by the visitors, Leigh took a lead they were never to lose in the 10th minute when tomentor-in-chief Lee Sanderson caused havoc with a short chip and Lee Rowley was in support for a try beneath the posts.
Moments later, Leigh pressed once more but Chris Smith knocked on in the corner - the line at his mercy. As the game entered the second quarter, Smith made amends, taking a floated pass by stand-off Ian Hodson to race in at the flag.
To their credit, Featherstone held their line well and even threatened with good running from prop forward Mathew Isherwood. Ultimately though, Rovers lacked composure in the Leigh "20" and with far too many passes going to ground, they were unable to mount sustained pressure in the Centurions half.
It was from one such pass that Leigh took advantage to score their final try of the half. Loose forward James Lomax swooped on an error to race 50 metres, only to be brought down by a fine cover tackle from Rovers full back Ben Archibald. With Featherstone still retreating, Leigh moved the ball crossfield and Hodson dived over for a try Sanderson converted to bring a score of 16-0 in the home side's favour.
Leigh added the first try of the second half when Simon Warhurst finished solid approachwork but Featherstone looked like they were finally gelling when scrum-half Jonathan Presley scored a nice individual try, scampering clear after an outrageous dummy. Steve Coutts added the conversion but 20-6 was as close as the game got for Rovers.
With 50 minutes gone, Leigh's fifth try followed, Sanderson again dictating matters to send second-rower Robert Bowdler over for the first of a FOUR-try haul. Even the efforts of Bowdler however, were eclipsed by non-stop second row partner Peter Clarke, who picked up the official Man-of-the-Match award for a dominating performance in the pack.
Sanderson and Hodson again combined to send Bowdler over three minutes later with Sanderson kicking the Centurions to a 32-6 lead but they were far from finished. Captain Neil Donlan muscled in at the corner after a barnstorming run from a scrum by Richard Varkulis before a double salvo on 61 and 66 minutes saw Bowdler complete his four try show.
Not content with creating both tries, Hodson took matters into his own hands to saunter in for Leigh's 10th and had the final say in adding the conversion to Lee Rowley's try three minutes from time that brought 60 points up for the Centurions for the third time this season.
As reward, Leigh now visit to Hull KR, looking to turn the tables on Rovers who won 27-14 in a bad tempered game last month. Featherstone will now entertain Oldham or Workington in the Elimination Play-off.
Line-ups:
LEIGH
Threequarters:
Simon Warhurst, Sean Prescott, Chris Smith, Neil Donlan, Darryl Rowlands
Halfbacks:
Ian Hodson, Lee Sanderson
Forwards:
Asa Watson, Lee Rowley, Richard Varkulis, Robert Bowdler, James Lomax
Subs: Ryan Baker, Kirk Reynolds, Greg Evans, Michael Owens.
FEATHERSTONE ROVERS:
Threequarters:
Ben Archibald, Dan Ray, Steve Coutts, Will Jordan, Andrew Jackson
Halfbacks:
Darren Burke, Jonathan Presley
Forwards:
Carl Sayer, Darren Jordan, Mathew Isherwood, Jamie Maughen, Andy Bailey, Andy Jarrett.
Subs: Danny Patrickson, James Ford, Chris Roe, Phil Coles.
Scorers:
Leigh 60
T: Bowdler (4), Rowley (2), Hodson (2), Warhurst, Smith, Donlan.
G: Sanderson 7/10, Hodson 1/1.
Featherstone 6
T: Presley
G: Coutts 1/1.
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