LEIGH Centurions suffered their first home defeat since September 2013 to make a disappointing start to their bid for Super League status.

Paul Rowley’s all conquering Championship outfit, beaten only once in the league during 2015, led 24-6 at half-time and 26-14 midway through the second period.

However, Challenge Cup finalists Rovers hit back in excellent fashion to boost their chances of avoiding the drop in their long awaited Wembley year.

Despite fatigue from their knockout heroics against Warrington at Headingley, Chris Chester’s underdogs plundered four tries in the final 16 minutes through Maurice Blair, Tony Puletua, Shaun Lunt and Ben Cockayne. Mantellato landed six goals as Centurions’ 31-game home winning streak came to a shuddering halt.

Leigh also started the eagerly awaited contest slowly. They were relieved to see Aussie ace Albert Kelly missing from the visitors’ team sheet. Instead, it was Kelly’s replacement, French international, Dane Chisholm, who stunned Rowley’s side by giving the Humbersiders a ninth minute lead with a long range touch down.

Mantellato, man of the match at Headingley, converted and the top flight side led 6-0.

But that was simply the prelude to a Centurions master-class in finishing as four tries, all converted by Martin Ridyard, took them 24-6 up.

Ryan Brierley, who will surely be in Super League one route or another next year, levelled nine minutes later and then provided the assist with a break and kick for Gregg McNally to grab Leigh’s second try after 23 minutes.

On song, Leigh have few peers, including Super League rivals, and Rovers found that to their cost when Andrew Dixon went over for a third try in eight minutes to push the lead unto 18-6.

Leigh Sports Village certainly wasn’t full, matching the below average attendances at the opening three Super 8’s fixtures. However, home fans in a crowd of 4,454 were in raptures when Tom Armstrong touched down just before the interval.

There appeared little way back for the Humbersiders, a shadow of the side that had eclipsed Warrington in the cup. Instead, livewire full-back Kieran Dixon dragged them back into contention three minutes after the re-start with a try converted by Mantellato.

Ridyard’s 54th minute penalty took Leigh 14 points clear and again apparently out of reach. But Leigh reckoned without Rovers resolve and 24 points in the final 16 minutes completed their great escape.

Teams

Leigh: McNally; Higson, Worthington, Armstrong, Kay; Ridyard, Brierley; Moimoi, Beswick, Emmit, Dixon, Goulden, Hock; substitutes: Higham, Wilkes, Barlow, Hopkins.

Hull KR: Dixon; Cockayne, Sio, Welham, Mantellato; Chisholm, Blair; Walker, Lunt, Puletua, Larroyer. Horne, McCarthy; Tilse, Greenwood, Donaldson, Ollett.