VICTORY at York wasn't pretty - but it was pretty effective as Leigh ground out another two crucial points in their chase for the leadership of the Northern Ford Premiership.

After a feast of attacking rugby in their previous two games, Leigh had to roll up their sleeves and slug this one out toe to toe.

With referee Graeme Shaw employing what coach Ian Millward described as 'a skinny 10 metres' Leigh's attacking flair was stifled almost to the point of strangulation.

"I thought the referee allowed both sides to creep offside," complained the Leigh boss. "That stopped either team using the ball with any great effect.

"It was one of those games when the result is more important than the performance. We did lack cohesion in attack, but defensively we were secure, and to concede only one try was pleasing. We've let in only four tries in our last three games."

Leigh will be glad to see the back of York who have pushed them to the bell in both games this season.

They sneaked home 16-12 in the first game of the season, and again at the Huntingdon Stadium on Sunday it was trench warfare as they slugged it out for a slender 14-12 victory.

York's early indiscipline gave Leigh the platform they wanted. A succession of high tackles saw York skipper Allan Pallister sin-binned and later put on report. But Phil Kendrick failed to master the strong wind and landed only three shots from five attempts in the opening quarter.

Two came in the first five minutes, then Aussie back row Heath Cruickshank pounced on a loose ball after it had been ripped away and plunged in for the first try.

Jamie Benn pulled two points back, Kendrick added two more. But York showed they are no mugs and in the final 10 minutes of the half went from 10-2 down to 12-10 up with a trio of Benn goals and a Paul Darley try.

Driving rain did nothing to improve the spectacle as Leigh battled to pull the game out of the fire.

The decisive try came just before the hour when Leigh worked one of their favourite scrum base moves, Jamie Kennedy and Kieron Purtill drawing the blind-side cover to send winger Alan Hadcroft (pictured) in at the corner.

Leigh rarely got got close again, although Dave Ingram blew a chance to settle it when he failed to collect Cruickshank's floated pass at the corner.

York almost snatched it at the death when they won possession from a controversial 40-20 touchfinder. But Hadcroft came to the rescue as he drove opposite number Andy Preston into touch with the tryline beckoning.

LEIGH: Donlan; Hadcroft, Kendrick, Kerr, Arkwright; Patel, Purtill; Street, Murray, Whittle, Kennedy, Cruickshank, Fairclough. Subs: Pucill, Ingram, Bowker, Jenkins. Attendance: 1,147

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