Martin Morgan reports from at Hilton Park

Last updated 16:06, Monday, 08 September 2008

NL1 play-off eliminator: Leigh 24 Whitehaven 30: Haven turned the tables on Leigh in dramatic fashion to ensure the final game at their old Hilton Park home was an unhappy one for the hosts.

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Ade Adebisi

The Cumbrians, under-strength when heavily beaten by Leigh last month, made a mockery of the generous 3/1 odds offered against them progressing to the second round of play-off matches, where they will now meet Halifax, at the Shay.

Versatile Saia Makisi proved again he is well utilised in the back-row, with a series of tireless bursts, Rob Jackson was busy on his old home turf and Leroy Joe proved he could handle the hooking role.

Standing in for the suspended Graeme Mattinson, he gave the impression he had worn the No 9 shirt all his life, with some neat kicks, darting half-breaks and solid defence.

But all 17 players had to be on form for the team to progress against hard-working Leigh.

Winger Ade Adebisi scored two tries, including one wonderfully-worked effort with Jackson from a scrum-base, while Howard Hill proved difficult to contain down the left in the second-half.

The hosts were without stand-off Dennis Moran and centre Toa Kohe-Love, though it’s hard to believe Moran would have been more influential than stand-in Mike Wainwright in the early exchanges.

The ex-Warrington back-rower showed some superb touches in the first period, though Haven got to grips with him after the break.

The visitors seized the initiative in the fifth minute, after Ian Watson had kicked out on the full. Hill took Tane Manihera’s pass and bundled a defender back behind his whitewash as he touched down.

Watson found his kicking boots for the re-start, which he hoofed over the sideline to win a scrum, and Craig Calvert was forced to knock dead the scrum-half’s end-of-set effort.

Andy Hobson knocked-on in Leigh’s next set, much to the delight of Haven fans, who remembered how he pole-axed youngster Gregg McNally to earn a red card, the last time the sides met.

The wet weather was causing handling problems, and when Joe lost the ball on 14 minutes, without a Leigh hand being placed on him, centre Mark Roberts put Wainwright in for a try.

Ian Mort converted but the lead was to last only a matter of seconds, as Lee Doran was penalised from the re-start and Manihera levelled.

Three quickfire penalties then took Leigh deep in to Haven territory and Mort obliged with another successful kick.

Yet there was so much fire about Haven, there was never any doubt they would look to strike back quickly, and four minutes later they scored a fine try, given the wet conditions.

They worked wonders to keep the ball alive before Jackson put Adebisi in at the corner. Manihera’s kick put his side 12-8 up and he extended the lead further after the hosts were hit by back-to-back penalties.

The Cumbrians pressed for another try before the break, but it was Leigh who struck, thanks to Wainwright’s trickery and Mort’s support play, the full-back sliding over out wide. The conversion levelled the scores at the interval.

Terrific work between Jackson and Adebisi saw the winger add to his tally on 47 minutes, following a scrum just on Leigh’s side of half-way. Manihera goaled to increase the advantage.

The tackling was fierce but fair for the most part, yet the hosts got back in to the game with the softest of mistakes, ex-Haven hooker Aaron Smith simply ploughing through centre John Patrick to score from a tap penalty.

Mort slotted the conversion and followed up with a penalty on the hour mark to put Leigh 22-20 ahead.

But Doran fumbled the re-start and Joe regathered. Leigh were then penalised for holding down and McNally made them pay with a penalty goal.

Ever-willing Adebisi did wonderfully well to chase Joe’s long-range clearing kick and tackle Mort behind his line. And from the possession, the see-sawing game swung in Haven’s favour as Manihera notched another penalty for holding down.

The game looked to be heading for extra-time when Mort slotted another penalty on 75 minutes. But two minutes later, Haven struck the killer blow.

Makisi drew in defenders and fed Andy Gorski who found McNally on his outside, the youngster racing in at the corner.

A superb Manihera conversion seemed to sow it up for Haven, especially when Watson’s short restart did not go the required 10 metres.

But the Kiwi’s penalty kick failed to find touch, and Haven had to endure a couple of nerve-wracking sets on their line before the hooter brought blessed relief.

MATCH FACTS

Haven: Broadbent, Adebisi, R Jackson, Patrick, Calvert, Manihera, McNally, Edmondson, Joe, Fatialofa, Miller, Hill, Makisi. Subs: Dalton, Gorski, McDonald, M Jackson.

Tries: Hill, Adebisi 2, McNally; Goals: Manihera 6, McNally 1

Leigh: Mort, Maden, Hickson, Roberts, Alstead, Wainwright, Watson, Hobson, McConnell, Morrison, Doran, Taylor, Smith. Subs: Marsh, Hill, Cookson, Stewart

Tries: Wainwright, Mort, Smith; Goals: Mort 5, Watson 1

Attendance: 2,306

Referee: Ronnie Laughton

Star Man: Saia Makisi