Chorley Lynx 10 Leigh Centurions 78 by Mike Hulme: NEIL Turley has wiped the name of John Woods from Leigh's record books.
The Centurions' current scoring sensation replaced his childhood idol as the holder of the most points in a match record with an astonishing tally of 42 points as Leigh continued their unstoppable march in the Arriva Trains Cup.
Turley smashed Woods' previous best of 38 points set against Blackpool in 1977 and again against York 12 years ago with a haul of five tries and 11 goals - the record-breaker coming in stoppage time.
Two years ago - ironically on the same ground and against the same opposition - the Leigh full-back equalled Woods' landmark score, but now he holds the record outright.
And had he not had a try under the posts disallowed for a debatable offside he would have again equalled Jack Wood's 1947 club record of six in a match and raised the points in a match record to 48.
Having drawn level with Woods' total in the 76th minute, the entire team went into overdrive to set Turley up for the record. Twice they gave him field goal chances which he fluffed before they put on a scrum base move that ended with Radney Bowker sending him racing over at the corner.
It capped another ruthless Leigh performance which saw them rattle up 14 tries against the group's basement team.
Coach Darren Abram was the first to praise his scoring sensation. "Neil's never been completely happy doing weight training but this year he's taken it on board and now he's seeing the benefit of it.
"He's bigger and stronger and is showing he's a player of the highest quality. I'm delighted for the lad but more pleased with the way the whole team worked hard in those last few minutes to create the record for him. It underlined the tremendous team spirit we've got."
While it was Turley's name that goes up in lights, he probably owes John Duffy a drink or two.
The stand-off's contribution to Turley's record haul shouldn't be ignored. Of Turley's five tries, Duffy laid two of them on a plate with perfect kicks to the posts. And it would have been three had a over-zeaous touchjudge not spotted a marginal off-side.
The only down side for the Centurions was a knee injury to Dale Cardoza who was making his comeback after a shoulder problem.
Even though Leigh comfortably built up a 38-4 half time lead, he wasn't totally satisfied with his team's efforts in the opening 40.
"We weren't completely tuned in and allowed them to make more line breaks than any team has done against us all season," he said. "We spoke about it at half time and I'm happy to say fixed things up in the second half."
As the scoreline would suggest Leigh were dominant all across the field. Only Mick Redford and Martin Roden gave them much to think about in the opposition ranks.
The procession of tries started as early as the fourth minute when Duffy put in one of his trademark grubber kicks and Tommy Martyn crossed under the posts easily.
The floodgates were already wide open and Leigh doubled their lead when Paul Rowley's cut out pass put Cardoza into open pasture; his inside ball finding Ian Knott for the first of his two tries.
A missed tackle on Leigh's right flank allowed Chorley to pull a try back through Gary O'Regan but it was only a temporary setback as Leigh set about dismantling the Lynx defence again. Turley's neat footwork close to the line brought his first try and when quick hands had Chorley back-pedalling Martyn put in a crafty kick that set up Danny Halliwell's first.
The final 13 minutes of the half brought three more tries. Cardoza blasted through to send Andrew Isherwood romping in; Martyn's pass got Chris Percival over and Duffy put in another accurate kick for Turley on the back on an Isherwood break.
Chorley claimed their second try soon after half time when Leigh, with Cardoza down hurt in back play, found themselves a man short in defence and Jamie Stenhouse went over for a try goaled by Neil Alexander.
Leigh clearly felt that was enough of that and in the next 11 minutes rattled up another four tries.
Isherwood took Duffy's drop-off pass and went clean through on the angle; winger Steve Maden tossed a ball inside for Knott to collect his second; Turley's hat-trick came on the end of a move that saw Bowker twice involved and Halliwell swopped on a loose ball close to his own line to gallop 90 metres for his second.
Martyn returned to the action to throw the most outrageous dummy to sprint in for his second and six minutes from time Duffy laid on Turley's fourth.
With Turley on 38 points Leigh produced a frantic final few minutes to give him the record. Two drop goal attempts failed miserably before the unselfish Bowker produced the money ball in the dying seconds.
Scorers - Leigh: Tries - Turley (18, 36, 58, 76, 80); Martyn (4, 69); Knott (8, 54); Halliwell (25, 61); Isherwood (27, 50); Percival (29). Gls: Turley 11/14.
Chorley: Tries - O'Regan (14), Stenhouse (46). Gl: Alexander 1/1, Roden 0/1.
Leigh: Turley; Maden, Cardoza, Percival, Halliwell; Duffy, Martyn; Norman, Rowley, Wilkes, Isherwood, Potter, Knott. Subs (all used): Callan, McConnell, Bowker, Bradbury.
Chorley: Patterson; Meade, Kilgannon, Stenhouse, O'Regan; Ramsdale, Gambles; Parry, Roden, Hill, Redford, Smith, Barton. Subs (all used): Rowley, Newall, Ormesher, Alexander.
Handling errors: Chorley 10, Leigh 8.
Penalties conceded: Chorley 7, Leigh 10.
Half time: 38-4
Full time: 78-10.
Referee: Peter Taberner (Wigan).
Man
rONLY one winner. Neil Turley's 42 points record could stand for years. He's not likely to get those sort of chances in Super League!
Moan
rTURLEY'S two wayward field goal shots as he chased the record. A lesson or two from dad are needed I feel...
rMARTYN'S outrageous second half dummy showed a master at work, but for sheer drama it has to be Turley's stoppage time record-breaker.
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