Barrow Raiders...20 Centurions...38 - WHOEVER came up with the old sporting cliche that only good teams can play badly and still win must have had the Centurions in mind.

The scoreboard looks emphatic enough, but it was only in the final eight minutes that Leigh finally shook the Raiders from their coat-tails.

Clinging to a 24-20 lead, the Centurions cut loose to add three more tries late on to bring a seventh successive victory and cement their place as red-hot favourites to book the runner's-up spot behind Huddersfield.

Although they were never behind, the Centurions were never comfortable against the Raiders who were the NFP Team of the Month for July after a run of six wins.

Ex-Leigh favourites Tau Liku and Radney Bowker had their moments as the Centurions struggled with their completion rate on a greasy pitch but when the Centurions really needed it, they had the quality to get out of trouble.

John Duffy continued his run of top form with another game of the highest quality. Without his ability to open up the defence Leigh would have really struggled.

Dale Cardoza is another the fans' have quickly taken to their hearts. He's the type of player who makes things happen with his size and pace a huge asset in the threequarters.

Dave Whittle, Paul Rowley and Adam Bristow also played big parts in Leigh's 18th win in 24 games.

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oach Paul Terzis declared himself pleased with the result but not the performance. "We only played to 40 per cent of our capacity. It certainly wasn't one of our better performances.

"All the players have put their hands up in the dressing room and admitted they've not produced the goods."

Leigh's squad strength was again tested to the limit with no Goulding, Roper, Bradbury, Matautia, Kendrick or Swann. "The squad's been tested again and we've shown good character to come up with a win," Terzis added.

Cardoza's first start in Leigh colours was an explosive one, the centre breaking the Barrow defence in the third minute to start the move that ended with Whittle taking a short ball to stretch over for a try under the posts. Turley converted easily for a 6-0 lead.

Terzis felt Leigh contributed to each of Barrow's three tries. The first, after 11 minutes, was a classic example. A missed tackle allowed hooker Andy Henderson to make progress up the middle before Cliff Beverley's pass got Shane Irabor on the outside of Chris Irwin for the winger to romp in. Darren Holt levelled the game at 6-6.

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he tit-for-tat scoring continued as Cardoza showed tremendous strength to escape the clutches of three defenders to force his way over for his third try in two games. Turley added a fine touchline conversion

When Leigh extended their lead to 18-6 in the 32nd minute, a landslide victory looked on the cards. Duffy put Andy Isherwood away, the sub finding the supporting Turley slicing through for a six-pointer.

But the 12 point advantage lasted only a matter of seconds as Turley fumbled Holt's high re-start and Bowker broke to send Beverley in by the posts. Holt added the conversion and followed it up with an angled penalty to make it 18-14 at the break.

Bristow was furious to have a 42nd minute try disallowed by Colin Morris for a double movement but Duffy took the sting out of the game when he cleverly shot through a gap out wide to slide in for a try improved by Turley.

The 10-point lead was again cut to just four when Holt potted another penalty and Irabor finished well to squeeze in at the corner flag to make it 24-20.

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he crucial moment came eight minutes from time when Isherwood swooped on a wayward Leigh pass, burst into open space and found Bristow with a lofted pass which took the Centurions eight points clear.

The try broke Barrow's back and twice in the final four minutes Leigh cut loose.

The best of the seven tries was set up by sub John Hamilton whose 40 metres break out of his own half was bettered by McCully who weaved his way past four defenders to touch down by the posts.

In stoppage time Rowley collected the try his efforts deserved when he drilled a low kick into the corner and won the race for the try.

Match facts

SCORERS: Leigh - Tries: Whittle (3mins), Cardoza (15), Turley (32), Duffy (47), Bristow (72), McCully (76), Rowley (80). Gls: Turley 5/7.

Barrow - Tries: Irabor (11, 64), Beverley (34). Gls: Holt 5/5.

Leigh: Turley; Irwin, Anderson, Cardoza, Marns; Svabic, Duffy; Knox, Rowley, Whittle, Baldwin, Morley, Bristow. Subs: Isherwood (for Morley 23 BB, BBR HT), Hamilton (for Ball 57), McCully (for Irwin 28), Ball (for Knox 26), Knox (for Whittle BB54, BBR 75), Knox (for Baldwin 78).

Barrow: Jones; Marshall, Marsh, Beverley, Irabor; Bowker, Holt; Liku, Henderson, Whitter, McLoughlin, Jackson, Whitehead. Subs: Clark (for McLoughlin 57), Atkinson (for Marsh HT), Lupton (for Jones 42), Jones (for Whitter 14), Marsh (for Atkinson 73), Jackson (for Whitehead 70).

Penalties conceded: Leigh 8, Barrow 3.

Handling errors: Leigh 16, Barrow 15.

Referee: Colin Morris (Huddersfield)

Attendance: 955.

Man of the match

rMUCH of Leigh's cutting edge came through John Duffy. Without him, they would have been in deep trouble.

Magic Moment

rMARK McCully's late try reminded us all that Leigh have the ability to score from anywhere on the field.

rNO apologies for criticising referee Colin Morris's performance. He somehow managed to ruin a bad game.