LEIGH'S unsung quartet grabbed star billing on Sunday.

And a rejuvenated side toppled Division Two leaders Rochdale Hornets 27-16 to keep alive promotion chances.

So often this season it's been the likes of Street, Pucill and Purtill who have been the headline makers. This time Jukes, Jenkins, Donlan and Hill took centre stage to send Hornets spinning to only their third defeat of the season.

Neil Jukes looked every inch the complete loose-forward while Aussie hooker Nick Jenkins justified his place ahead of Shaun Bannister with his best 80 minutes in Leigh colours.

And the new centre pairing of Stuart Donlan and David Hill were secure and unflappable in the face of a rousing revival.

It all added up to give coach Keith Latham his most satisfying performance for months.

"Some of our play in the first quarter was breathtaking - right out of the top drawer," he said.

"We hit Hornets early on and that proved decisive. We knew they would come back at us strongly but defensively we were quite sound. And we showed great character to withstand the storm and finish as strongly as we did."

Leigh couldn't have asked for a better start with three brilliantly crafted tries in the first half.

Chris Wilkinson's gamble to run the ball on the last tackle paid off handsomely when Donlan stepped a couple of defenders and slid in for the opening try.

The first of two touchline goals from back-to-form Dean Purtill made it 6-0.

Hornets barely had a sniff, despite Steve Gartland replying with a penalty. And two top-notch tries in five minutes put Leigh in dreamland.

John Gunning's disguised short pass had Matt Nixon rampaging clear, the Aussie second rower intelligently drawing the cover before sending Jason O'Loughlin haring for the posts and a 12-2 lead.

Leigh's progress was momentarily halted when Gartland followed up his own kick to score. But almost from the restart Andy Pucill launched an attack from inside his own half, his arching inside run splitting Hornets wide open and the supporting Gunning sending Jenkins bursting through for his first senior try.

Purtill's goal and a Wilkinson field goal had them cruising at 19-6.

Even when Nathan Picchi touched down either side of half-time to slash the lead to 19-16 Leigh still looked in control.

After Purtill had calmed the nerves with a 52nd minute penalty, sub Safraz Patel came up with the match clincher when his slide-rule kick to the corner gave Purtill the chance to pounce for his 19th try of the season.

LEIGH: O'Loughlin; Purtill, Donlan, Hill, Sarsfield; Gunning (Patel 46), Wilkinson; Street, Jenkins, Pucill (Costello 26), Liku (McGughan 44), Nixon (Fairclough 57), Jukes. Attendance: 1,321.

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