Leigh find scoring form after horror start

ALTHOUGH the Cougars had scared the pants off title contenders Hull KR and Rochdale in recent weeks, they found that few sides can cope with the Centurions when they're in the mood.

Leigh acknowledge that far stiffer tests are just down the track but after the previous week's first half flop at Featherstone, their number one priority was to quickly regain some confidence.

Still smarting from the early caning they got at Featherstone, Leigh looked stunned as they again made a nightmare start.

Vila Matautia spilled the ball directly from the kick off, Keighley swept into a 6-0 lead and Paul Rowley was KO'd - all before the game was four minutes old!

"That's the fourth match running we've turned possession over straight from the start," moaned coach Paul Terzis. "It's amazing. That sort of consistency we can do without."

But Leigh quickly put a smile back on the coach's face with a flashy, high-speed attacking game that ripped the Cougars to pieces.

"That first few minutes was a wake-up call for us and I'm pleased with the way we put that behind us," Terzis added. "We trained and prepared well and that paid dividends for us. We scored some spectacular tries and showed that we are a quality side."

Leigh crossed 10 times in all and had every pass stuck then the final scored could have been - anything!

Terzis acknowledged the fact when he said. "We did miss out on a few opportunities when passes went astray but when it all falls into place no side can live with us. I was very pleased with the attacking side of our game."

While Leigh were ruthless going forward, the odd defensive lapse continues to blight their game. Twice the left flank defensive formation was out of kilter as the Cougars struck in the first half and then they were exposed for pace as ex-Halifax flyer Oli Marns scored a spectacular length of the field solo just on time.

"We had a couple of people in new positions and it took a while for them to bed down. I thought we defended well after the second try and you've got to take your hat off to Marns, it was top quality stuff," Terzis said.

A cold shiver must have run down Terzis' back as he saw his team start badly.

Leigh held out after Matautia - who went on to be quite effective - handed possession back to the Cougars from the off. But moments later they lost Rowley with a head injury and then were caught cold by Simeon Hoyle's sharp break and Max Tomlinson's strong finish for a try goaled by Danny Fearon.

It took Leigh just five minutes to get back on level terms. Paul Anderson and Willie Swann's inter-change of passes opened the defence and Adam Bristow had the simple task of guiding Simon Svabic over the tryline.

Leigh gave Keighley a warning that they were in for a painful afternoon when in the space of six tackles they moved from their own posts to the left corner where Simon Baldwin shrugged off three defenders and stretched out a big mit to reach over.

Svabic, in at full-back for the injured Neil Turley, showed he's no mug with the boot, scoring six successive conversions before missing his last four.

Just when it seemed as though Leigh would continue untroubled, they got themselves in a tangle on their own line and Matt Steel pounced on a loose pass to touchdown and close the gap to 12-10.

But that was as good as it got for the Cougars who found themselves trailing 24-10 at the break.

The third try came in a similar fashion to the second, Baldwin's size and strength getting him over wide out. Moments later the Cougar's failed to pick up Chris Morley's angled run off Swann's neat ball, the second rower striding clear for only his second try of the season.

Down by 14 points at the break, the Cougars knew that had to score next or it was curtains.

Coach Gary Moorby admitted: "We'd competed quite well in the first half but had to score first after half time to put some pressure back on Leigh.

"But we were taken apart by a quality side and once Leigh scored again, there was no stopping them."

Keighley didn't help themselves when they missed a penalty kick for touch, Leigh sweeping upfield where Swann and John Duffy stretched them further and Anderson forced his way over at the flag. Svabic's touchline two-pointers too Leigh out to 30-10.

The Cougars were at fault again under Bristow's high, hanging bomb and Duffy's 20 metre wide pass gave Anderson the chance to ease Mark McCully in at the corner.

Sub Rob Ball made a big impression when he was introduced and from one powerful break Keighley were in retreat. The opening came when Svabic joined the line and Andy Isherwood's nifty footwork got over for the first of his couple.

Frustration crept into Keighley's game; Oliver Wilkes going on report for alleged use of the elbow on Duffy with Phil Stephenson and Dave Bradbury spending 10 minutes in the 'cooler' after a midfield flare-up.

But order was restored when Anderson went in for his second to make it 44-10. Another surge from Ball gave Svabic the chance to throw a dummy and glide in before Anderson paved the way for Isherwood's second.

On the stroke of time Marns collected Svabic's kick in front of his own posts and set off to a 100-metre scoring sprint.

Overall Leigh can feel satisfied with their afternoon's work. The big question now is can they back it up at Whitehaven on Sunday.

Match Facts

Scorers: Leigh - Tries: Baldwin (12, 22), Svabic (9, 64), Anderson (45, 60), Isherwood (54,68), Morley (28), McCully (52). Gls: Svabic 6/10.

Keighley - Tries: Tomlinson (4), Steel (17), Marns (80). Gls: Fearon 1/2, Mitchell 1/1.

Leigh: Svabic; Irwin, Anderson, Isherwood, McCully; Duffy, Swann; Matautia, Rowley, Whittle, Baldwin, Morley, Bristow. Subs: Kendrick (for Morley 33), Ball (for Matautia 53), Hamilton (for Rowley 3), Bradbury (for Whittle 26), Morley (for Swann 61).

Keighley: Rushforth; Tomlinson, Steel, Marns, Robinson; Fearon, Firth; Hannah, Hoyle, Kelly, Smith, Durham, Wilkes. Subs: Mitchell (for Durham 59), Calvert (for Wilkes 59), Ekis (for Hannah 27), Stephenson (for Kelly 18), Durham (for Calvert 62), Hannah (for Ekis 72).

Penalties conceded: Leigh 7, Keighley 8.

Handling errors: Leigh 13, Keighley 6.

Sin-bin: Stephenson (Keighley) and Bradbury (Leigh) - fighting 62mins.

Referee: Mike Dawber (Wigan).

Attendance: 1411.

Magic Moment

rOLI Marns' last minute length of the field solo try. No matter where your allegiances lie, it was a quality finish.

Moan of the match

rTHE injuries to Rowley, Swann and Whittle which took the gloss off an otherwise satisfactory day's work.

Man of the match

rTHE loss of such a key player as Rowley would have flattened some sides. How lucky Leigh are to have John Hamilton who would walk into most other teams.