PAUL Terzis didn't hold back in his attack on some of Warrington's tactics during a bruising Challenge Cup tie at Wilderspool.

Moments after Leigh had been beaten for the first time since last season's NFP Grand Final, Terzis claimed the Wolves' rough-house tactics had overstepped the mark.

He said: "I was not overly happy with Warrington's defensive tactics. Warrington are a class outfit but of have to rely on tactics like that to win a game, they are going to struggle throughout the year. There is a way to play rugby league and way not to play rugby league."

The Hilton Park boss was particularly concerned at the incidents which left Adam Bristow badly concussed, Dave Bradbury with a broken nose and Tim Street and Dave Whittle with head wounds.

"I'm not happy about it all but we'll go through the right channels with Greg McCallum at the Rugby League. To be far I thought the ref had a fair game but he was let down in certain areas. We were hard done by, big time. Maybe their tactics paid in the end."

Terzis singled out Allan Langer and Steve McCurrie as the class pair that set the Wolves apart from the Centurions.

"If it wasn't for Alfie Langer for them then they'd have struggled big time, but that just goes to show the class of the player. Everyone would want an Alfie in their side, he turned the game.

"The first five to 10 minutes of the second half we'd almost weathered the storm and he came up with a try. Alfie lifted a gear and some of their players responded around him, not too many of 'em, but some.

"They're going to improve but they've got huge defensive problems. I also thought McCurrie had a great game. He ran powerfully and ran some great lines. Other than those two players we matched them in all other areas.

"It was always going to be a winning game for us regardless of the score because we'll learn a lot from the experience. We've now shown that we are capable of keeping up with Super League sides Salford and Warrington. If Warrington have designs on the top five, how far are Leigh away?

Opposite number Darryl Van de Velde said: "Our ball insecurity kept them in the game. In the second half we were much stronger, but it was tough," he conceded. "Leigh didn't surprise me. They hung in for a little bit longer than I thought they would have. They're a good outfit."

But when quizzed about the Leigh coaches' allegations, Van de Velde growled a terse 'no comment', turn and left the press conference, adding on his way through the door: "I thought we tackled aggressively and well."