Rochdale Hornets 20 Leigh Centurions 24 by Mike Hulme: A DOMINANT second half performance from the Centurions pack and an accurate kicking game helped see Leigh through to the fifth round of the Kellogg's Nutri-Grain Challenge Cup.

Leigh adapted better to the dreadful Spotland conditions and won more comfortably than the scoreline suggests. Twelve of Hornets points came in stoppage time at the end of each half.

It was Leigh's forwards who laid the foundation for the victory over their big NFP rivals. Prop Gareth Price, despite retiring early on to have a head wound stitched, was a dominant figure alongside Adam Bristow and Chris Morley.

Behind them, Simon Svabic's kicking game constantly pinned Hornets down and it was the stand-off's interception try after 65 minutes that put some daylight between the sides.

"We've got a big, strong pack and I think other teams in the competition knows that it has to match them," said coach Paul Terzis. "Today our forwards were magnificent and the conditions dictated it was a forwards game."

But in driving rain and on a flooded pitch Leigh showed they could play a bit too. After Neil Turley had kicked them into an early 2-0 lead with a penalty, Leigh produced a stunning try from a move that started in the shadow of their own posts.

Young centre Mark McCully was the key figure, twice involved in the 80 meters move that ended with the former St Helens reserve chipping to the corner for Liam Bretherton to score.

Rochdale wasted much of their possession but they did draw level after 22 minutes when Paul Smith went threw a couple of weak tackles for a try goaled by Richard Agar.

But from the re-start Leigh were back in front. Turley's kick off found touch and from the resulting scrum Leigh worked a neat move for Willie Swann to force his way over at the foot of the posts. Turley's second goal made it 12-6.

Agar and Turley traded penalties but right on the stroke of half time Paul Davidson's lofted pass got sub James Bunyan in at the corner. Agar's touchline conversion locked it up at 14-14.

A commanding opening to the second half by Leigh brought them a try from Bristow but the crucial score came with 15 minutes left when, in rapidly deteriorating conditions, Svabic picked off a Rochdale pass and cantered 50 metres for a try improved by Turley.

At 24-14 Leigh were coasting but had a nervous final few seconds after Hornets sub Danny Wood finished a neat move with a try under the posts.