York moved from their spiritual Clarence Street home to the edge of town in 1989 yet it was two years before Leigh made a trip there.
This was during a season when there were 8 teams in the Second Division with everyone playing each other four times to make a 28 game league programme. Leigh won there 22-7 on 28th October 1991. This was a Monday night fixture that was broadcast to pubs and clubs across Northern England yet the system failed in the Mick Martyn bar and fans who couldn't make the trip had to listen to the radio for any mention of scores.
Four months later Leigh returned to the venue and toughed out a 21-4 win. Star of the show was David Hill who claimed a hat-trick.
It was a further two and a half years until Leigh played at York and in the meantime the club had gained promotion and then been relegated. The debut of Tau Liku couldn't inspire Leigh to victory and the hosts edged a win by 15-14.
Leigh's next visit came in September 1995 and this time it was Leigh's turn to win narrowly - 20-18 during the helter skelter Centenary season.
A balmy late July evening welcomed the Centurions 1996 game and in one of their best performances of the season, Leigh won 31-6, this came despite the sending off of David Ingram for a high tackle and proved to be one of Alan Mason's finest games.
The Centurions and York fought another close game in 1997 with Matt Nixon in good form as Keith Latham's Leigh edged a 21-16 victory.
Close run things were common place on the next two meetings in 1999 and 2000 as first Ian Millward, then Paul Terzis led sides struggled at the Huntington Stadium. 1999 saw a 14-12 victory while a late try edged a 28-22 win to Leigh in 2000.
There was no such problem in 2001 as a fast, strong and powerful Leigh side with Simon Svabic and Neil Turley in game breaking mood inspired the Centurions to a midweek 84-12 hammering of a struggling York. Turley scored 4 tries that night while Svabic went within a goal of equalling Mick Stacey's game record of 15.
York were on the verge of closure by the time of the Centurions next visit in February 2002, but a spirited show from the hosts restricted another strong Leigh team to a 48-6 victory.
This game, and 13 other York fixtures were later expunged from league records.
For clarity however, here are the details of that game:
York: 1. Jamie Benn, 2. Michael Forbes, 3. Shaun Austerfield, 4. Robert Lee, 5. Gavin Molloy, 6. Jon Liddell, 7. Scott Yeaman, 8. Michael Docherty, 9. Peter Edwards, 10. Steve Hill, 11. Carl Barrow, 12. Mick Ramsden, 13. Mark Cain. SUBS: 14. Andy Precious, 15. Andy Hutchinson, 16. Darren Crake, 17. Andy Lee.
Try: Yeaman.
Goal: Benn.
Leigh: 1. Neil Turley, 2. Liam Bretherton, 3. Phil Kendrick, 4. Jon Roper, 5. Eric Andrews, 6. Simon Svabic, 7. Willie Swann, 8. Paul Norman, 9. John Hamilton, 10. David Bradbury, 11. Paul Anderson, 12. Andrew Isherwood, 13. Adam Bristow. SUBS: 14. Chris Morley, 15. Paul Rowley, 16. Mark McCully, 17. Vila Matautia.
Tries: Bristow 2, Andrews 2, Isherwood 2, Bretherton, Swann, Bradbury.
Goals: Turley 6.
Attendance: 680.
Leigh haven't played at Huntington Stadium (ahead of Sunday's game) since 2006. On that occasion Leigh won 24-10 despite having to play hooker Gary Sykes on the wing and Scott Grix being sent off at the start of the second half.
No comments:
Post a Comment