RUGBY: Leigh fast show stuns Hornets

Leigh Centurions 40 WHAT a difference a year makes. Last season Hornets rattled up almost 100 points in their clashes with the Centurions but yesterday, in a Spotland slaughter, Leigh's class should have balanced the books. But for some wayward finishing and a fussy referee who disallowed four Leigh tries, they would have gone close to a new record away win.

The one to suffer most was centre Dave Ingram who did manage three legal tries in addition to an illegal 'hat-trick' which, if they had stood, would have equalled a 52-year-old club record.

That apart, Leigh were in sensational form, particularly in the second half when they ran Hornets off their feet. And had the surface been better - several tons of sand disguising a bog didn't help - Leigh's victory would have been even more emphatic.

Hornets, despite their heavy recruiting, were hopelessly outclassed.

Tim Street and Dave Whittle did the damage up front; Andy Fairclough just gets better and better; Craig Dean returned from injury to direct the traffic and Ingram showed star quality finishing.

The only sour note was the loss of Aussie backrower Heath Cruickshank who, in his first game back after a broken jaw, was helped off with a broken cheekbone. "That did take the gloss off things a bit," admitted coach Ian Millward. "The lads were devastated by the injury but they rolled their sleeves up again and played some top quality stuff.

"Our attacking plays are starting to gell and apart from two spells our defensive concentration was good. Overall I can't be too disappointed."

Leigh have now moved into fourth place in the Northern Ford Premiership and if they can keep this sort of form going will be a major threat this season.

They made their intentions clear early on yesterday and had struck twice inside 11 minutes when Tau Liku's damaging run helped set up a Dean try and then Street and Kieron Purtill combined to send Ingram in. Dean Purtill added one goal and Leigh were 10 points to the good.

Ingram might have had a hat-trick in the first 16 minutes but two of his efforts were wiped out for a forward pass and a double movement. Hornets struck back with two quickfire tries to take an unlikely 12-10 lead. Matt Knowles and Andy Burgess both burst through some flimsy defence to score tries that Deryck Fox goaled.

Stunned, it took Leigh sometime to find their feet again, but when Fairclough picked up from the base of a scrum and shot clean through for a try the Centurions were back on the march.

Leigh saved their best for the opening 20 minutes of the second half. The tries flowed champagne style from Phil Kendrick, Ingram and Anthony Murray as they swept into a 30-12 lead by the 53rd minute.

Alan Hadcroft and Ingram had tries wiped out before Hornets sub Chris Hilton nipped in at the corner.

In the final 10 minutes Ingam went on to complete a deserved treble and Fairclough collected his second as Purtill added a fourth goal.

Leigh were mentally congratulating themselves on a defensive job well done when referee Colin Morris ruled Peter Fitzgerald was obstructed and was awarded a penalty try. LEIGH: Donlan; Hadcroft, Ingram, Kendrick, Purtill D; Purtill K, Dean; Street, Murray, Whittle, Kennedy, Liku, Fairclough. Subs (all used): Cruickshank, Arkwright, Pucill, Patel. Attendance: 1203.

WHAT a difference a year makes. Last season Hornets rattled up almost 100 points in their clashes with the Centurions but yesterday, in a Spotland slaughter, Leigh's class should have balanced the books.

But for some wayward finishing and a fussy referee who disallowed four Leigh tries, they would have gone close to a new record away win.

The one to suffer most was centre Dave Ingram who did manage three legal tries in addition to an illegal 'hat-trick' which, if they had stood, would have equalled a 52-year-old club record.

That apart, Leigh were in sensational form, particularly in the second half when they ran Hornets off their feet. And had the surface been better - several tons of sand disguising a bog didn't help - Leigh's victory would have been even more emphatic.

Hornets, despite their heavy recruiting, were hopelessly outclassed.

Tim Street and Dave Whittle did the damage up front; Andy Fairclough just gets better and better; Craig Dean returned from injury to direct the traffic and Ingram showed star quality finishing.

The only sour note was the loss of Aussie backrower Heath Cruickshank who, in his first game back after a broken jaw, was helped off with a broken cheekbone.

"That did take the gloss off things a bit," admitted coach Ian Millward. "The lads were devastated by the injury but they rolled their sleeves up again and played some top quality stuff.

"Our attacking plays are starting to gell and apart from two spells our defensive concentration was good. Overall I can't be too disappointed."

Leigh have now moved into fourth place in the Northern Ford Premiership and if they can keep this sort of form going will be a major threat this season.

They made their intentions clear early on yesterday and had struck twice inside 11 minutes when Tau Liku's damaging run helped set up a Dean try and then Street and Kieron Purtill combined to send Ingram in. Dean Purtill added one goal and Leigh were 10 points to the good.

Ingram might have had a hat-trick in the first 16 minutes but two of his efforts were wiped out for a forward pass and a double movement.

Hornets struck back with two quickfire tries to take an unlikely 12-10 lead. Matt Knowles and Andy Burgess both burst through some flimsy defence to score tries that Deryck Fox goaled.

Stunned, it took Leigh sometime to find their feet again, but when Fairclough picked up from the base of a scrum and shot clean through for a try the Centurions were back on the march.

Leigh saved their best for the opening 20 minutes of the second half. The tries flowed champagne style from Phil Kendrick, Ingram and Anthony Murray as they swept into a 30-12 lead by the 53rd minute.

Alan Hadcroft and Ingram had tries wiped out before Hornets sub Chris Hilton nipped in at the corner.

In the final 10 minutes Ingam went on to complete a deserved treble and Fairclough collected his second as Purtill added a fourth goal.

Leigh were mentally congratulating themselves on a defensive job well done when referee Colin Morris ruled Peter Fitzgerald was obstructed and was awarded a penalty try. LEIGH: Donlan; Hadcroft, Ingram, Kendrick, Purtill D; Purtill K, Dean; Street, Murray, Whittle, Kennedy, Liku, Fairclough. Subs (all used): Cruickshank, Arkwright, Pucill, Patel. Attendance: 1203.

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