LONDON BRONCOS 58 HALIFAX PANTHERS 12
HUW RICHARDS, Cherry Red Records, Sunday

LONDON saw off spirited Halifax resistance to clinch their first first-place finish in 43 years – four name changes and numerous home grounds ago. 

And while excitement at lifting the League Leaders’ Shield is diluted by knowing that off-field decisions by IMG number-crunchers and the game’s rulers will be decisive, it – like playing for their first cup next week – represents a significant point in their progress.

London head coach Jason Demetriou said: ”It’s good to have been the most consistent team all year and it’s important that the boys celebrate that”, pointing in particular to survivors of the previous regime like Will Lovell and Lewis Bienek, who ‘have been through a brutal two years’.

Asked about possible Super League status, Demetriou said: “The most important thing is that we get there on our merits. If we finish top, nobody can say that we got there because we were favoured.”

The outcome of this game was never in doubt, though Halifax managed to break London’s usual remorseless pattern for several periods, as well as scoring two fine tries themselves.

That pattern, with a London score leading to an opposing kick-off, leading within two or three minutes of play to another London score, opposition kick-off and so on, did assert itself on occasions – notably in a second-quarter burst of five tries in 14 minutes. But the Halifax tries by themselves were disruptive by forcing London to kick-off, leading to gaps of nine and 12 minutes between their scores.

London initially promised a massacre, with early tries by Robert Mathias and Neil Tchamambe setting both on their way to hat-tricks. Halifax hit back with Lloyd Roby diving to touch down a shrewd kick by Jesse Soric to cut the margin to 8-6, then held on for a further seven minutes.

Tchamambe went over for his second try in the 21st minute, unleashing the second-quarter barrage that saw Gairo Voro, a consistent source of fun and fantasy amid London’s rather steamroller-like attacks, weaving over, close enough for him to also land the conversion after three earlier misses from wide angles. 

Voro was similarly accurate from the subsequent scores by Mathias, Alex Walker (his 97th for the club) and Marcus Stock.

With 36 points after 35 minutes, the Broncos had caught the clock which sometimes seems their main opposition. It was 15 minutes before they scored again, including a confrontational spell after the break for which referee Carl Hughes appeared to hold London more culpable, sin-binning Mathias for a dangerous tackle.

But Halifax’s limitations were also shown, as London’s defensive line-speed negated the penalties they were awarded. London also scored while short-handed, Tchamambe completing his hat-trick with his 32nd try of the season. 

Siliva Havili drove across in the 57th minute, but Halifax claimed their second score three minutes later, Soric’s superb offload sending Darius Carter charging into London territory to send Ben Will over.

Mathias completed his hat-trick in the 66th minute and Voro, his place as leading try-scorer under threat by Tchamambe, claimed his 35th of the season with another weaving effort five minutes from time.

GAMESTAR: Jesse Soric was the focus for the Halifax resistance that injected interest into an otherwise routine London win, creating both their tries and kicking well.

GAMEBREAKER: London’s deluge of five tries between the 21st and 35th minutes.

MATCHFACTS

BRONCOS
22 Alex Walker
20 Brandon Webster-Mansfield
3 Robert Mathias
11 Luke Smith
26 Neil Tchamambe
23 Gairo Voro
7 Dean Hawkins
8 Reagan Campbell-Gillard
14 Finley Glaze
16 Epel Kapinias
21 Will Lovell
12 Jack Croft
13 Siliva Havili
Subs (all used)
10 Emarly Bitungane
15 Sadiq Adebiyi
17 Marcus Stock
24 Lewis Bienek

Tries: Mathias (5, 28, 66), Tchamambe (9, 21, 51), Voro (25, 76), Walker (31), Stock (35), Havili (57)
Goals: Voro 7/11
Sin bin: Mathias (46) – dangerous tackle

PANTHERS
3 Ben Will
2 Ben Tibbs
11 Ben Crooks
4 Alfie Johnson
25 Luckas Sableman-Blue
6 Jesse Soric
5 Lloyd Roby
24 Delaine Gittens-Bedward
7 Curtis Davies
21 Ben Forster
19 Zack McComb
15 Connor Davies
9 Adam O’Brien
Subs (all used)
13 Jacob Fairbank
16 Jimmy Morgan
22 Darius Carter
– Kieran Rush

Tries: Roby (13), Will (60)
Goals: Soric 1/1, Rush 1/1

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 8-0, 8-6, 12-6, 18-6, 24-6, 30-6, 36-6; 42-6, 48-6, 48-12, 54-12, 58-12

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Broncos: Gairo Voro; Panthers: Jesse Soric

Penalty count: 5-4
Half-time: 36-6
Referee: Carl Hughes