Leigh Centurions 16, Salford City Reds 12
"BRING on the Wolves!" That's the confident cry from Hilton Park as the Centurions chase another Super League scalp in the Silk Cut Challenge Cup, writes Mike Hulme
The Northern Ford Premiership leaders, now unbeaten in 10 league and cup game this season, got their reward for dumping out Super League neighbours Salford with an away tie at Warrington Wolves in a fortnight.
And already Leigh are gearing themselves up for another big challenge.
"Salford was one hurdle for us to clear, but Warrington are a better side and they'll really set us another a massive test. But we'll be ready," said elated Leigh coach Paul Terzis.
Terzis masterminded one of the most famous comebacks in Leigh's Challenge Cup history as they battled from 12-10 down inside half an hour to win going away.
"Even at 12-0 we knew that we'd not played well and if we got our game on track, then we'd pull through," he said as Leigh became the first club from the lower division to KO a Super League side for four years.
Stand-off Simon Svabic, one of five ex-Reds in the Centurions side, helped embarrass his former club with a top class display of tactical kicking that had Salford back-pedalling for much of the second half.
But in the opening half hour the farthest thing from Leigh's minds would have been creating an upset. They struggled to control possession and give away easy yards with a string of needless penalties.
Salford didn't need inviting twice. Powerful second rower Warren Jowitt went over in the fourth and 29th minutes as Leigh's defences on their own line crumbled. Steve Blakeley knocked over both conversions and Leigh were left with a mountain to climb.
They picked themselves up in the last 10 minutes of the half and hammered at the Salford line, winger Dave Ingram being denied a try in the corner by the video referee.
But the second half was a totally different story as Svabic and sub John Duffy turned Salford round time and again with their accurate kicking game.
The mounting pressure finally paid off when Paul Anderson collected Phil Kendrick's pass and blasted through for the first try.
The Centurions' recovery started to gather momentum and Salford barely got out of their own half. They pulled back to within two points when Neil Turley slide in to score from Svabic's neat kick, Svabic adding the extras.
The crucial score came 10 minutes from the end when the outstanding Turley squeezed a pass out of a tackle and Aussie back rower Adam Bristow wriggled over for the winner.
Leigh: Turley, Hadcroft, Anderson, Fairclough, Ingram; Svabic, Bretherton; Street, Hamilton, Bradbury, Baldwin, Bristow, Morley. Subs: Whittle, Duffy, Kendrick, Leathem. Attendance: 5670.
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