By Matt Lawton
July 27 2003

Leigh survived yet another spirited comeback from the Bulldogs at Hilton Park, despite the same seeming to be all over by half-time, with the Centurions commanding a large lead at the break. The game was preceeded by the usual pre-match entertainment, and also a special birthday celebration for club president Tommy Sale, to celebrate his 85th birthday and also the official unveiling of the newly-renamed Tommy Sale Stand.

An expectant crowd turned up at Hilton Park, hoping to see a succesful start to Tommy Martyn's Leigh career, with the former St. Helens "Man of Steel" making his Centurions his debut against the Bulldogs. Most of them turned up expecting somewhat of a walkover so it came as even more of a suprise when, after five minutes, Danny Maun outpaced both Leroy Rivett and Damian Munro and sprinted over from fifty yards out to give the visitors a shock lead, with the try being converted by former Dewsbury Rams and Widnes Vikings scrum half Barry Eaton.

It proved to a shock to the system and certainly dampened the celebratory atmosphere and shocked the Centurions into action.

Leigh pulled level when Alan Hadcroft went in at the left corner, before Leigh eventually took the lead more than fifteen minutes after first falling behind, with Michael Watts going over at the left corner after a superb long pass from debutant Martyn, with full back Neil Turley converting both kicks.

Pat Weisner then extended the Leigh lead, along with Paul Rowley with a typical hookers try. Also going over were Leroy Rivett and Willie Swann in a magical twelve minute period of attacking rugby league to give Leigh a comfortable 34-6 half time lead.

Batley have a history of comebacks at Hilton Park but still Leigh looked to coast the second half. However, the Bulldogs suprisingly came back into the game with two tries in the first twelve minutes of the second half through Danny Thomas and Chris Spurr, despite looking dead and buried during most of the first half. Leigh re-established their advantage with two tries in three minutes from Paul Rowley and then substitute Dale Cardoza. Centurions prop forward Sonny Nickle was then sin-binned for a challenge on former Oldham Roughyeds star Anthony Gibbons before Batley then went over again to make a game of it through Matt Bramald. The Bulldogs amazingly then scored directly off the resulting kick off after a poor kick by Turley allowed Maun to comfortably run half the length of the field for his second try of the afternoon.

Leigh eventually won the game after a superb sixty metre try from Dale Cardoza, which was then followed with only three minutes remaining by Cardoza sprinting down the wing and passing inside for man of the moment Tommy Martyn who looked to be going in for a richly-deserved debut try. However, Martyn had his ankle tapped only metres from the line, but that didn't prevent him flicking out a sumptuous pass to the supporting Alan Hadcroft who went in for his second try of the afternoon.

The Centurions' attack was once again out of the top drawer on the whole but their defence will prove to be a worry to coach Paul Terzis as Leigh make the notoriously tough journey to Featherstone' Post Office Road home next weekend, where Leigh have already lost this season, in a 28-22 defeat in the Powergen Challenge Cup.