GOOD humoured Leigh rugby fans were all smiles for police cameras before Sunday's cup tie at Warrington.

Afterwards, disappointed in defeat, they could still raise a cheer after their side's gallant display, but when the excitement died they were left to ponder why they came in for the mugshot treatment.

For the second time this season fans have come under the scrutiny of the Cheshire Constabulary's video team at matches.

They were openly filmed before the start of Sunday's match at Wilderspool and had been filmed earlier in the season at Widnes.

Cheshire Constabulary say there is nothing clandestine about its surveillance operation at RL matches and Chief Inspector Tim Jackson told the Journal all sectors of supporters had been filmed.

But some Leigh fans believe only Leigh supporters were filmed.

Leigh Independent Supporters' Association committee member Neil Wilcock asked afterwards :"I only saw police filming at one end of the ground where the Leigh fans were, we didn't seem to see them filming other sections of the crowd.

"At Widnes they certainly only filmed the Leigh section. If the police did film all sections of the crowd at Wilderspool then I have no argument. And it should be easy enough to view the video and check if that is the case."

"But if, as we believe, only Leigh fans were filmed, why was that?

"Before the kick-off two officers worked the cameras from left to right and back again scanning the Leigh supporters and made it obvious what they were doing. I've no objection to that, it's fair enough if all the spectators are going on video. Then there would be no argument. Surely they should have videoed everybody?

"They filmed the 4,000 Leigh fans behind the sticks -- I would have thought it highly unlikely they were going to start trouble among themselves.

"Also a good proportion of the spectators were children at the game with adults. Rugby League is after all a family game.

"The last time we were at Widnes the police complimented Leigh fans on their behaviour. And at Warrington the police looked embarrassed but obviously had their instructions. The humour with which the Leigh fans took it just made the police look foolish."

A spokesman for Cheshire Constabulary said: "Yes, we were videoing at the Wilderspool game, filming both home and away supporters."

He said the match day filming was done openly and welcomed by the Warrington Wolves' club. Filming was done to try to prevent any possible trouble and seen to act as a deterrent and useful in detecting incidents.

Police were prepared for the possibility of trouble between rival fans at Sunday's cup tie because internal intelligence had alerted officers following the isolated incidence of trouble in Leigh last month following the game between Leigh and Salford.