DEAD-EYED Dean Purtill is back on the Hilton Park beat. The goal-kicking hot shot has returned to RL action after taking a year out while he completed his police training.

And that's good news for Leigh whose regular kicker Paul Wingfield is still recovering from a double hernia operation.

Winger Purtill, brother of current Leigh skipper Kieron, made his comeback with a six from eight return in the Alliance side at Batley last Saturday. Last night he continued his return with figures of three from three as the reserves beat Dewsbury 10-4.

In his last season at Hilton Park -1997 - Purtill kicked 107 goals and scored 21 tries for 298 points. "It's good to have Dean back in action," says chairman Mick Higgins. "Although it will take him some time to regain full match fitness. "We had a gentleman's agreement that he wouldn't sign for anyone else and would return to Leigh when his work commitments permitted. Now we'll see what develops over the next few weeks."

And Purtill has impressed coach Ian Millward so much that he is being considered for the vacant 17th spot for the first team trip to Dewsbury on Sunday. But Purtill, now based at Astley Bridge police station in Bolton, believes that might be a bit soon. "It's good to be back playing with Leigh again. Although I've kept myself fit, it will take a few weeks to get back to the level I was at before," he says.

The Alliance side's narrow win over Dewsbury in the Hilton Park mud gave new Under 21s coach Mark Bailey his second successive league win. In appalling conditions of driving rain and on a treacherous surface, Leigh controlled the game without ever being able to kill Dewsbury off. Their points came from a Paul Norman try and three Purtill goals.

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