NEW skipper Tim Street and sub forward Mark McGughan were sent off AFTER the final whistle on Sunday Bloody Sunday.

Quite simply, Leigh's shock 15-14 defeat at bottom club Chorley ended in pandemonium.

"It was a dark day for the club," agreed disappointed coach Eric Hughes. "And I fear there will be a few more before we start to turn the corner."

The Leigh pair allowed their anger to boil over at the final whistle and were dismissed by referee David Atkin for verbal abuse.

The reaction of Street and McGughan was understandable, if unacceptable.

Hull referee Atkin's interpretation of the rules had Leigh seething. Chorley's opening try appeared to contain a knock-on and a forward pass - and that set the pattern for a second half littered with refereeing errors.

But there is no disguising the fact this Leigh side finished a clear second best in the commitment and enthusiasm stakes.

Against a side previously without a win and conceding an average of 61 points per game, Leigh lacked direction and purpose.

Leigh hardly had a forward capable of making a break or a back with a craft to get through the League's worst defence.

Leigh's worst day of a miserable season saw tries for sub David Ingram, Alan Hadcroft and David Lyon. But ex-Leigh skipper Andy Ruane popped over what proved to be the winning drop goal 16 minutes from time. Irony indeed. This time there was no way back.

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