Keighley Cougars 6 Leigh Centurions 16 by Mike Hulme THE Centurions bounced back from their first NFP defeat at Doncaster last week to produce a brilliant defensive display to maintain top spot and open up a three point gap over second placed Cougars.

The errors that had marred their performance at Doncaster had been removed. Leigh were almost perfect in defence against a side with the reputation as one of the most potent attacking forces in the division.

Certainly Leigh's cause was helped when Cougar's chief play-maker Nathan Antonik was stretchered off with ankle ligament damage in the first minute. And having lost Martin Wood with a knee injury the previous week, Keighley had to rely on the skills of ex-Wigan half-back Craig Murdock.

But Leigh kept him on a tight leash and generally dominated a tight game.

Delighted

Coach Paul Terzis was obviously delighted with Leigh's 13th win from 14 games. "Defensively we were very sharp and secure and I would give us seven or eight from 10 - that's a good score from me.

"We closed down their main players and threats and I think the depth of our squad is proving vital."

Terzis gave Willie Swann his first start at scrum-half and the Samoan international repaid him with a game of the highest quality. Swann was the centre of many of Leigh's best attacks and when defensively, the little half back clocked up an astonishing 27 tackles.

But even he was overshadowed by joint skipper Adam Bristow who was everywhere and finished the game with 35 tackles to his credit. And up front Leigh had the power of Dave Bradbury who repeatedly punch holes in the Cougars defensive line.

Even when Leigh fell 6-0 down after 16 minutes with a Danny Seal try and Graeme Hallas goal, it was something against the run of play.

Leigh had missed one good chance off an Andy Fairclough break and seen a Simon Svabic try disallowed but they managed the level the match in the 27th minute when winger Michael Watts cut infield and hooker John Hamilton burrowed his way over for a six-pointer at the foot of the posts.

Right on the stroke of half time Leigh hit the front. John Duffy's crossfield break found Simon Baldwin, the second rower throwing a dummy before striding over for a 10-6 lead.

Leigh effectively won the game in the 49th minute when they came up with the only score of the half. Bristow scooped up a loose pass of his toes and set in motion the move which saw Neil Turley sprint in for his 29th try of the season. Svabic goaled.

Liam Bretherton had a score disallowed for a marginal forward pass as Leigh were happy to soak up anything the Cougars could throw at them.

Leigh: Turley, Ingram, Anderson, Fairclough, Watts, Svabic, Swann, Leathem, Hamilton, Whittle, Baldwin, Bristow, Morley. Subs: Kendrick, Bradbury, Bretherton, Duffy.