A dirge of a game played in horrendous conditions underfoot. The lads did a great job first half, second half we put ourselves under a lot of pressure with handling mistakes and a desire to play rugby that was a little too expansive for the conditions.

A wins a win and I think I've just about managed to avoid full-on hypothermia.

Halifax's line speed was unreal in the second half, we really struggled to make any hard yards and, in contrast to some posts on here, I thought our second half kicking game saw us take the wrong options on a few occasions, going for a shorter range rather than sticking it in the corner. True grit and character to grind out a win like that and I'm sure the lads will learn from it. Fair play to Barlow not reacting (too much) from some serious 'attention' as evidenced by the sin bin in the first half.

Leigh following in the region of 800 I'd say.

They all do seem rather obsessed by Slammin Sam at Halifax do they not?

Thought we did really well today in absolutely awful conditions. To keep Fax out & only concede 1 try (which came from a more than slightly bizarre attempt at an unnecessary pass) was excellent. When we usually play fast paced quick passing rugby to win in a mud bath shows just how good this team is.

I had a bit of a niggle before yesterdays game as we played our hearts out last week and usually a team that's been in such a hard game sometimes isn't at it's best the week after. When I saw the state of the field - can't call that a pitch - I started to worry. All credit to Fax, we were camped in their half in the first 40 and to only concede 12 points was a good show. Our fitness and true grit saw the boys through yesterday because the field and weather were against any classy show. Even though the boys came over to us after the game you could see that they were desperate to get to the hot showers and who can blame them. I wouldn't be too pleased if I had to get into an ice bath after that game. I really thought games played in those conditions were a thing of the past at this level. It's a pity that so much money is being spent on turning The Shay into a very good stadium and not spending it on the playing surface. They have a football game there on Tuesday night. Anyway a wins a win and I'm sure we will see less of those types of games as the weather gets warmer. Jake or Liam for MOM. Take your pick all both were excellent.

Think Jake is a machine and consistently puts in the hard grunt. Mr Dependable and never has an "off day"

A good side finds a way to win, that's what we did. If we where still playing now, our defence would not have let them in. Without the error don't think they would have scored. We let them back in the game and probably gave them the belief to keep coming at us, which they did and credit to them for it. Under different conditions think we could have won by a bigger margin, perhaps the return fixture will show. Nice to see that in the main the silliness on the pitch from previous years fixtures was no longer there. Possibly the change in coaching? Next week should give us a chance to sort out out points difference.

I remember Stuart Donlan once telling me about some of the 'treatment' he received on the streets of Leigh while playing for Fax, I wonder if Sam gets afforded the same attention?

Edit: I was going to say he probably got a lot of stick in the games between the two teams but in them days we were in SL.

We're grateful for Halifax's last season in SL. Makes our season in there seem respectable in comparison

Hard game in terrible conditions, we never looked liked conceding and but for a mistake which in fairness was because we now have it in our DNA to play from anywhere they wouldn’t have scored.

This gave them at muddy foot in the game that they tried hard to build on but even in the crowd you could sense there was only going to be one winner.

Listened to RM on Leeds radio he said they deserved a draw, well I’m sorry Richard but you didn’t as is usual in RL the best team over 80 minutes won.

I keep reading about how fax would never have scored if Leigh didnt make the mistake but could we say leigh would have only scored 1 try in the game if we had not made the mistake in the last minute and Leighs first try had been ruled out on what im sure the video will show was a forward pass? At the end of the day is there a try that does not come from some sort of mistake?

Leigh had nearly as much trouble scoring as Fax did which I think says a lot for how Fax performed given about £600K difference in the squads, I think it would even be fair to say we finished the game much stronger than Leigh although I had expected that with Leigh playing Bradford the week before, I had said to people around me if we could be within 6 at half time I think we will go on and win the game as Leigh start to tire trying to get out from the south stand. It wasnt to be though and its all ifs and buts. On the whole though I thought it was a very good game considering the conditions and Leigh controlled the game perfectly in the first half and probably just about deserved the win. For Fax I think we showed a lot of promise and we will get better as the drier grounds come but our pack looks better than last year and impressed and we will not play teams of the talent of Leigh every week. Tough game at Batley though next week which is now a must win game.

Edit: Just seen the trys and Leighs first try does not look forward. 2nd try would have been interesting with a video there as Kay's foot goes near the sideline. I think Moi Moi could easily have been binned thought for his 'tackle'.

This is from a Fax fan who has the cheek to say I post tripe

plenty of IFS as well as ANDS from GFB,on drier grounds we would score 40 against Fax ,I've just seen the highlights on Fax TV from a Fax point of view

It in my opinion shows Liam Kay got to the ball first to score in the second half before Brown did,and also Fax claim Johnny Powell knocked on when he clearly doesn't.

For me Fax had a very big percentage of possession in the second day half yet DID only score from a Leigh mistake and their back biting tactics trying to goad the Leigh players aren't good,for me Fax will struggle to make the top 4 this year.

One more thing Greg. The video ref can't rule
On forward passes. Oh and I would have a bet that there isn't that much of a difference in our two salary budgets.

I was stood virtually in line with the left hand touchline and Kay was comfortably still in play I'd have said, even from the other end of the ground looking down the line. Likewise our disallowed try in the second half would be interesting viewing with a video ref.

Still, I think many people might have discounted 'Fax a little but the pair of us plus Bradford, London, Sheffield, Featherstone, Dewsbury and Batley at the very least will all think we're in with a serious shout of a top four spot.

It's Rugby it's a non exact sport what comes around goes around etc etc etc this time we won Fax lost get over it.

I did chortle at those Yarkie sayings by the ageing Fax fans....Gerrum onside and forrard....

AAh yes Bartie the cries of the one eyed YAWKshire goony bird but hey
you have forgot the stage whispered OOOHHHs and AAAhs when ever one of their favourites got tackled anywhere higher than their liberty bodices, after all we know all Fax players go to mass three times a day help old ladies cross the street and make their own dresses, the little darlings.

Sorry I think you mixed up the try I was on about. I said the first looked forward but on viewing the video it is not. The second on watching the game I thought was fine but now Im pretty sure he is in touch. As I have just posted on the Fax forum on the video Brown looks to get to the ball before Kaye in his hatrick try and unless I see another angle that says other wise I think no try would be given. That said I was retorting to Leigh fans saying we would never score rather than trying to pick holes in the result which I even mentioned I thought was a fair result. I even tried making an excuse up for why Fax finished the game looking fitter than Leigh just for good measure.

As for the physicality aspect, to me it looked like it was very much a case of Fax getting on top of Leighs forwards to the extent of when the 4 big tackles come in succession leading to Leigh dropping the ball that one of the Leigh players aims an obscene gesture at one of our players. Did we do enough to win the game? No. Did we rattle Leigh and give them a game despite the gulf in player wages? Yes. For that I am more than happy and optimistic for the rest of the season.

Greg the best thing you can do with the video is watch it backwards at least then you'll manage a draw.

What is the gulf in players wages?

If Leigh are up to the cap which I have seen suggested then I am lead to believe that it is close to £600K. Imo we have a very talented squad but a real lack of depth which we simply can not afford. In terms of spend I would estimate us been somewhere near the 6th or 7th highest spenders in the league.

Suggested? as players wages are usually conducted in secret any suggestions are purely guesswork at best and fantasy at worst, by your working out Bradford should have beaten us but did they? NO, stop clutching at straws Halifax were beaten you will have your chance of revenge soon enough look forward to that instead of stupid arguments trying to justify your teams loss.
Look forward to your next game not back at your last, Im sure thats what Richard will be saying to your lads.

Championship SC is 1 million and it was also suggested that some of Fax's 'part timers' were on more than some of Leighs FT players. I just hope both clubs know what they are doing

So like me in reality you've no idea what either club is spending.

Ive been told what Fax expect to be spending this year, but you are right regards Leigh, although I would expect them to be somewhere near the full cap.



Some of Fax's part time players will be on more than some of Leigh's full time players DUCY?

My guess work is usually better than most peoples.

We were beaten by the better team something it seems I have pointed out quite a bit but is getting lost on some people.