DARREN Abram reckons Leigh Centurions should be enjoying the relatively calm waters of mid-table by now instead of remaining marooned at the foot of the Engage Super League table.

The Leigh coach believes that his team's two away games so far - Warrington and Wakefield - should have produced two victories; four points and a foothold on the survival ladder.

"I'm convinced that we should have four points by now," claimed Abram.

"We had opportunities to win both games but didn't take them. These are the harsh lessons we've got to learn at this level."

Leigh, who were briefly ahead midway through the first half, showed enough tenacity to please their coach, who continues to shuffle his side in a bid to find a winning formula.

But the defensive failings that have dogged Leigh all season continue to be their undoing.

Too many missed tackles, especially in the middle of the field, is asking for trouble. Leigh paid a heavy price for allowing the likes of Sid Domic and Ben Jeffries too much licence and although they were never completely out of the game, they were always playing catch-up.

Wildcats' boss Shane McNally admitted he was 'relieved' just have banked the two points. "I think Leigh have improved over the last two or three games. I wouldn't like to be playing them in a two or three weeks time because I think they're due a win."

Abram agrees: "We're not that far off," he says. "The pleasing thing for me was how strongly we finished the game. Our fitness levels were far greater than Wakefield's. They were hanging on at the end, praying for the final hooter. It would have been interesting if we'd come up with another try to see how they handled the pressure."

Leigh seemed to employ a far more expansive game than they've used previously - and looked all the better for it. They scored four tries, had another disallowed and generally caused the Wildcats' some defensive discomfort all afternoon.

But what they didn't have was someone with the cutting edge of a Domic or a Jeffries or someone with the ability to find the perfect pass like David Solomona.

It was Solomona who created the first try inside four minutes, releasing Semi Tadulala before Jeffries took his inside pass to score a try goaled by Jamie Rooney.

Any thoughts of a Leigh capitulation were soon quashed as Neil Turley, re-instated at full-back, led an attack that forced Wakefield to concede a penalty that Turley converted.

Leigh briefly hit the front when Mark Leafa and John Wilshere created some space on the right and winger Steve Maden, back for the first time since knee surgery mid-way through last season, finished neatly in the corner. Turley's conversion put Leigh 8-6 up.

But the lead last only a matter of seconds as Jeffries produced another break and the supporting Colum Halpenny sent Domic racing in. Two minutes later Domic was in again after Jason Demetriou had created the opening and one goal from Rooney gave the Wildcats a 10-point cushion.

Turley stopped another six-pointer when he chopped down a runaway Rooney and moments later had Leigh back in the game when he hoodwinked the Wakefield defence and stepped his way over for a classic solo try that he converted himself.

Things might have been even better for Leigh had Wilshere not had a try disallowed for a forward pass but some soft defence just before half time allowed Jeffries to make all the running through the middle before Sam Obst finished under the posts for a 24-14 lead.

Two minutes after half time Leigh were in even deeper trouble when Demetriou forced his way over for Wakefield's fifth try.

Leigh clung on grimly and hinted at another comeback when Fleary took a short pass from Wakefield-born Ben Cooper and hurled himself over for a try that Phil Jones converted.

But when Fleary was sin-binned for a late challenge on Jeffries, the match turned decisviely Wakefield's way. While Leigh were down to 12, the Wildcats struck twice to put the game beyond reach.

Jason Kent's attempted chip kick to the corner was snapped up by Jeffries who had enough pace to sprint 90 metres to the line and soon afterwards Julian O'Neill went through a yawning gap to score under the posts to open up an 18 point margin.

Even at 38-20 Leigh refused to be killed off and had the final word when John Duffy's beautiful flat pass gave Mike Govin a try on his Super League debut.