LEIGH CENTURIONS 32

DONCASTER DRAGONS 6

KEITH Latham's super subs enabled the Centurions to finally win at a canter and help ease the painful memory of the agonising last minute defeat at Batley which severely damaged their promotion hopes.

John Gunning and Nick Jenkins helped the overworked Safraz Patel in midfield and Mark Sarsfield applied the final gloss with two late tries to give the scoreline a flattering look.

But for three quarters of this game, a combination of a Batley hangover and a mounting frustration at referee Ronnie Loughton's inability to control Doncaster's spoiling tactics made for painful viewing for the sun-drenched Hilton Park crowd.

"The lads were flat and it needed a big effort to lift them", admitted Leigh coach Latham. "They knew that the Batley loss took the promotion battle out of our hands.

"We needed to run in the points and hope for the results going for us elsewhere. But it was a difficult game for us. Doncaster never allowed us to get into a rhythm and the referee failed to stamp his authority on things. But we stuck to the task and in the second half pulled it together a lot more."

The Leigh fans sat back and anticipated a points bonanza as Matt Nixon powered over for a third minute try, converted by Dean Purtill.

But the Dragons, inspired by player-coach Colin Maskill, levelled the scores when Richard Pell and Andy Dickinson laid on a try for experienced prop Keith England, which Moskill goaled. Laughton caned the visitors 10-4 in the first half penalty count and finally lost his patience sinbinning Dragons hooker Chris Watson for holding down in the tackle.

Purtill kicked the resulting penalty to regain Leigh's lead five minutes from the interval. And with Doncaster still down to 12 men. Gunning sent Paul Daniel spinning out of two tackles out wide on the left just before half-time.

Despite Patel's constant prompting and strong displays up front from Nixon and skipper Tim Street it took Leigh until the hour mark to finally slay the Dragons.

It was a try made in Australia as Nixon unloaded superbly for the supporting Jenkins to send Patel scooting over from 30 metres.

Gunning slipped the ball in a two man tackle for Jenkins to dive in from close range for a converted try five minutes later.

Gunning was again the creator when Sarsfield pounced on his astute grubber kick, Purtill kicking his fourth goal. And Paul Blackburn sent Sarsfield over by the right corner flag to complete the scoring in injury time.

With Rochdale Hornets and Hunslett Hawks both securing convincing wins Leigh's promotion ambitions still hang by a thread. The Centurions must win their final league games at York on Sunday and at home to Lancashire Lynx and then hope for the best.

LEIGH: Hill, Purtill, Hadcroft, Blackburn, Donlan, Patel, O'Loughlin, Street, Hudspith, Liku, Daniel, Nixon, Fairclough. Subs (all used): Gunning, Sarsfield, Jenkins, Costello. Attendance 1,033.

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