365 Sporting Days

With the way the rugby league season has been set up by the RFL I had a fixture clash for Event 74.  In common with a fair few London rugby league fans I have a season ticket for both London Broncos and London Skolars, for good measure I also have a Hemel Stags ST, with that one I get that I may not make many, if any games.

Having been a Broncos supporter for 19 years they will always come first, it’s been possible to watch both London teams for the last few year.  In 2015 for some stupid reason a fair few of their fixtures fall on the same day at the same time!

This is having a moan, and it’s meant to be that – how difficult would it have been to make sure the 2 teams didn’t clash??  It’s hard enough to get crowds for both clubs as it is!

And so, I missed Coventry Bears at Skolars for the visit of Leigh Centurions – that fixture was a must!

Leigh were, until Broncos joined them, my Championship team.  I was married to a Warrington man, and we used to visit,  for a couple of years we’d watch 2 Superleague games, then we added in a Championship game too!  That was often a game involving Leigh, Neil Turley was a favourite of mine, a brilliant player!

I’m probably an unusual sports fan, I am totally passionate about my teams, but I genuinely take pleasure in the success of other teams and have had many favourite players over the years.

One of those is Micky Higham, now playing for Leigh, Naturally a photo with him will feature!

I’ve written a match report – the game really needed to be recounted in a lot more detail than I tend to give here.   You can find the full tale here – http://wp.me/p3oCci-33f

I had an easy journey to The Hive – my car can virtually find its own way to the area, with Saracens playing just down the road too!

A fresh baguette and crisps (of course) with a Diet Coke cost me a reasonable £5.90 – better value than The Oval!

I sat outside in the sun and chatted to a few Leigh fans, they’re passionate about their club and travelled in good numbers.

We were outnumbered fans wise, but not necessarily out shouted!  The loyal core of Broncos fans put in a great effort in support of their team.

The noise and ‘banter’ by both sets of fans was largely good natured – but at times it was a bit ‘football crowd ish’  I am a fan of football but at times not a fan of the crowd the game can attract.

Not wanting to fall out with my fellow fans I do have to say, I’m not a fan of shouting “cheat, cheat, cheat’ at the referee, especially just after Broncos had scored a try!  Enjoy the feeling, rather than be so incredibly angry for goodness sake!  Perhaps it’s the cricket fan in me, that makes me dislike being in an aggressive crowd?

The game is there to read about in my match report – but a very quick summary – Broncos came all out to get the win, 3 quick scores in the 1st half will have surprised Leigh, I confess it surprised me – in a totally good way!

A good old sporting saying, but, Broncos were ‘up for it’ all over the field, they looked a Top 4 team all over the field, they were relentless in defence and exciting in attack.

I had to keep apologising to the man stay next to me of yelling in his ear all through the game, largely in an overly excited girlie way!

Leigh were in all honesty blown away in the 1st quarter and even a team of their clear class and pedigree couldn’t pull themselves back.  London Broncos were deserving winners – they broke a wonderful winning run by Leigh which was no mean feat, 27 games unbeaten.

I managed to speak to Jamie Acton after the game and it seemed that in the Leigh dressing room they felt that in a way the loss got a ‘monkey off their backs’

I’m sure they’ll be back to wining ways and really hope they progress in the Challenge Cup.  As for London Broncos this superb win will hopefully drive them towards the Top 4.

The end result by the way was London Broncos 29 Leigh Centurions 20.  Lots of photos, I’ve written far more than I intended – no writers block going on here!