Leigh 64 Oldham 26 by Dave Parkinson

LEIGH Centurions Under 19s steamrolled their way into a third successive Academy Grand Final with a 64-26 walloping of Oldham at Hilton Park on Sunday.

The Roughyeds made a fight of the game in the opening 20 minutes but a burst of five tries in 15 minutes saw the score move from 8-6 in the Oldham's favour to 36-8 to Leigh.

Leigh took first blood when smart work from a scrum led to Chris Mellor scoring wide out. Returning Lee Sanderson couldn't convert but added the first of 10 goals moments later after Oldham gifted the Centurions a penalty.

Pounced

Within minutes Oldham equalised. A high kick from Kiel Lancashire was spilled over the line by Chris Humphries and visiting centre Chris Carter pounced. John Mitchell converted and then added a penalty after Anthony Blackwood flattened Lancashire.

Despite taking the lead, Oldham began to look jaded and Leigh took full advantage. After Lee Rowley and Chris Smith carried the Centurions into a good position, Sanderson used his footwork to cross from 10 metres. Moments later and the Leigh scrum half was at his mesmerising best, again inside the visitors quarter. He ducked and bobbed, drawing two men to him before releasing the supporting Keiron Maddox for the try.

Blackwood was the next scorer after fine work between Smith and Humphries opened the defence.

With only a couple of touches to his name, Eric Andrews had been having a relatively quiet game before he imposed himself quite brilliantly to score two tries before the break. His first came after Sean Prescott shattered the defence in centrefield, Sanderson then switched play cleverly and Andrews shot through from 20 metres. His second was altogether more spectacular as he broke on half way before turning five players inside out for his 33rd try of the season. Sanderson took his goal tally to six.

It took the Centurions just two minutes to add to their lead when captain Ian Hodson crashed through some weak defence. Leigh were certainly on a roll and Oldham tried to slow them down at every opportunity. One such play conceded a penalty, Maddox, Hodson and Martin Meadows combined for Sanderson to slice through from 30 metres. At 46-8, a cricket score looked on the cards but Oldham rallied to score two tries.

Race clear

Sanderson sent Hodson in for his second try, then combined with the influential loose forward for Darren Woods to outpace everyone over 65 metres for the try of the game. At 58-20 the hard work was done and a mistackle from Blackwood allowed sub Michael Rowe to race clear. Leigh put the icing on high scoring semi-final when Woods intercepted and ran 40 metres unopposed for the Centurions 11th try and Sanderson converted for a personal tally of 28 points.