Leigh Centurions...34
Batley Bulldogs...8 THE hallmark of a quality side is one that can come up with the right result even when the performance isn't quite what it should be.
On Sunday's evidence you can put the Centurions into that category.
Leigh were well below their best, especially in the first half when they turned round 8-4 down, but managed to pull things round and finally win at a canter.
The half time interval couldn't come soon enough for Leigh as they fumbled their way through the opening 40 minutes and received a nasty nip on the ankle from the tenacious Bulldogs.
"It showed that you can't take anything for granted in the NFP," coach Paul Terzis pointed out.
"It was good to get the boys back in the sheds at half time so we could address one or two areas where we were falling down. Our biggest failing was that we were trying to play too expansive a game without first laying the foundations. I was always confident that if we could correct that, we'd go on to win comfortably.
"It was a challenge for us at half time, we're not used to being behind at that stage of a game. But again it shows the character in the side and again they've come out and only conceded eight points."
In the second half Leigh laid the right platform and reaped the rewards in the end. Props Dave Bradbury, Jamie Gass and Andy Leathem started to punch holes in the Batley defensive line and the scoring chances started to flow.
But in the first half it was a different story as things began badly with Alan Hadcroft dislocating his shoulder in only the second minute - the re-shuffle forcing half-back Liam Bretherton to spend 78 minutes on the wing.
Turning possession over far too frequently for their own good, Leigh struggled to make any sort of impact but they did make a breakthrough in the 17th minute when Kieron Purtill's midfield dart got Batley on the back foot. Leigh put on one of their favoured blind side moves and powerful centre Paul Anderson scattered the cover for the opening try. Simon Svabic was wide with his goal shot.
The lead didn't last too long as Glen Tomlinson's long pass put full-back Craig Lingard away. After exchanging passes with centre David Maun, Lingard went in at the corner to level things at 4-4.
Things went from bad to worse as Batley crept into an 8-4 lead just before half time. With Anderson down and on his haunches receiving treatment, Leigh's right flank defence found itself short-handed and Paul Gleadhill got in at the flag.
But it only took Leigh 90 seconds of the second half to get their game back on track.
Anderson's angled run did the initial damage and Bradbury showed neat footwork to get through the defence and go in for the first of three tries in nine minutes that transformed the game. Svabic added the goal for a 10-8 lead.
Leigh quickly pressed home their advantage with another try in the 45th minute, Jamie Gass crashing through for his first senior touchdown. A few minutes later Svabic's reverse pass foxed the Batley defence and Bradbury strolled under the posts for his second. Svabic's third goal took Leigh well clear at 22-8.
Batley showed that they could play a bit and twice in three minutes they broke the Leigh defence. Sub Jason Johnson turned and caught Tomlinson when a try looked certain and then Neil Turley pulled off a timely interception to keep the Bulldogs out.
Once they'd got over those scares, Leigh settled down to win the match with two tries in the final 11 minutes.
The best of their six tries saw the ball moved the full width before Anderson brought winger Michael Watts back on the inside for a sweet touchdown.
Seven minutes from time Leigh cemented their 11th straight NFP win to stay two points clear at the top of the table when more intricate handling opened Batley up for Anderson to stride through for his second of the afternoon. Svabic landed his fifth goal.
LEIGH: Turley; Hadcroft, Anderson, Bretherton, Watts; Svabic, Purtill; Leathem, Hamilton, Bradbury, Baldwin, Morley, Bristow. Subs: Gass (for Leathem 34), Kendrick (for Anderson BB 53, BBR 65, for Bradbury 69), Duffy (for Hamilton 30), Johnson (for Hadcroft 2), Hamilton (for Duffy 69), Leathem (for Gass 64).
BATLEY: Lingard; Dyson, Maun, Simpson, Gleadhill; Longo, Tomlinson; Hicks, Heptinstall, Kelly, Cartlidge, Shillabeer, Horsley. Subs: Cass (for Wittenberg 59), Wittenberg (for Kelly 10), Jackson (for Lingard 71), Richards (for Cartlidge 22), Hicks for Richards HT), Richards (for Heptinstall 72).
SCORERS: Leigh - Tries: Anderson (2), Bradbury (2), Watts, Gass. Gls: Svabic (5). Batley - Tries: Lingard, Gleadhill.
PENALTIES AWARDED: Leigh 11, Batley 5.
SCRUMS: Leigh 6, Batley 7.
REFEREE: Nick Oddy (Halifax).
ATTENDANCE: 2619
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