Oldham 20 Leigh Centurions 60: THE Centurions appear to be over their opening day upset at Whitehaven.

Now, just three games into the National League One season, they have moved ominously into third place and already are the division's top scorers.

But they were given a helping hand by Oldham who had two players dismissed as tempers boiled over in the Boundary Park sunshine.

Oldham's 100 per cent league record was immediately put on the line when Aussie second rower Dane Morgan was red carded in the 26th minute for an off the ball punch on Simon Knox. At that point they were only 12-8 behind but by the break Leigh were in command at 18-8.

When Ian Watson became the second Oldham player dismissed, this time for a head butt on Paul Rowley, Leigh were cruising at 42-16. With Oldham stretched to breaking point, Leigh killed them off with three more tries.

Leigh were able to welcome back long term injury casualties Richard Marshall and Willie Swann. Marshall had a fine game in the front row and Swann came off the bench to score one try himself and set up two more.

John Duffy scored a try inside two minutes with Neil Turley landing the first of 10 goals. The first of Nick Johnson's two tries and a Pat Rich conversion levelled matters before a Rich penalty put Oldham ahead.

Marshall scored from close in to restore Leigh's advantage and Turley and Tommy Martyn touched down for a 24-8 half time lead.

Johnson scored again to make it 24-12 before a burst of three tries in five minutes from Duffy, and Chris Percival (2), had Leigh well clear. Oldham replied through Farrimond and Farrell before Leigh opened up with tries from Swann, Radney Bowker and Steve Maden in the last six minutes.