Dewsbury Rams 50, Leigh Centurions 0 ALAN Bates is again the Centurions' public enemy number one.

The Workington referee, who Leigh claim denied them the Division Two championship last season, turned an evenly-balanced game into a total mis-match.

Bates, whose controversial injury time decision at Batley in June cost Leigh the title, again provoked an angry response from the Hilton Park camp with his first half dismissal of prop Andy Pucill.

Although the Rams had just gone in for their second try and opened up a 14-0 lead, there had been little to choose between the sides.

But Pucill's alleged high tackle on Rams' winger Dennis Bailey brought an instant red card and ultimately condemned Leigh to a sixth successive defeat and their heaviest of a miserable season.

It just wasn't the one incident that rattled Leigh. Most marginal decisions went the Rams' way while others were simply incorrect.

Even Dewsbury officials, while celebrating their team moving into third place, readily admitted to being 'embarrassed' by some of the rulings and felt Pucill's punishment deserved no more than a sin-binning. Leigh, like all clubs, are now banned from speaking out publicly on referees' performances but are today likely to ask the League's Controller of Referees', Geoff Berry, to view a video of the game and ask for his comments.

Leigh, with newcomers Paul Wingfield and Phil Kendrick in a completely re-shaped side, more than held their own for the first 30 minutes.

They had conceded tries to Brendan Williams and Matthew Bramald and three Barry Eaton goals, but were still making a game of it until Pucill went five minutes from the break.

The numerical handicap was too much for an inexperienced Centurions side to overcome.

The coaching staff will be disappointed by the way Leigh's heads dropped as tries from Shayne Williams, Bramald and Adrian Flynn swept the Rams into a 32-0 lead by the 56th minute.

The final straw came just after half time with Kendrick showing some clever touches in front of the Rams posts before Wingfield crashed in. Enter Mr Bates again; consultation with both touch judges leading to the 'try' being disallowed for a knock-on.

That completely deflated the Centurions who caved in completely in the final 20 minutes. It was the Rams who became the Centurions with Bailey crossing for his 100th career try and Eaton becoming the first player to a ton of points this season with the conversion.

Eaton went on to take his goals tally to nine with conversions to Bramald's third try and a late score from Williams.

Leigh: Donlan, Wingfield, Hadcroft, Hill, Ingram; Murray, Wilkinson; Street, Jenkins, Pucill, Costello, Colin Smith, Geritas. Subs (all played): Hudspith, Kendrick, Garces, O'Loughlin.

Attendance: 1,011.

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