WIDNES VIKINGS 36 LEIGH CENTURIONS 20 by Mike Hulme: Leigh's Super League torment is almost over. And after a 16th straight loss the end cannot come soon enough.

The battle of the two relegated sides was a scrappy, mistake-riddled affair that underlined just why these two clubs are heading back to National League One.

Ironically, Leigh made fewer mistakes than Widnes but still lost.

That was down to a crazy 10 minute spell in the second half when they conceded three tries and saw a 20-18 lead wiped out.

Caretaker coach Heath Cruckshank said: "We went to sleep and didn't do the basics right," he said. "If you slip up for 10 minutes at Super League level, you are going to pay.

"But there was a lot more fight in us today and we are able to take some good points out of it."

An early Nick Owen try gave Leigh the advantage but that was soon wiped out as Kieran Kerr put in a measured kick for Paul Ballard to cross in the corner before veteran Gary Connolly forced his way over.

John Duffy pulled back a converted try but a low kick by Stephen Myler found its way behind the Leigh line and Jules O'Neill pounced for another Widnes six-pointer to give them an 18-10 interval lead.

Rob Jackson then went in for Leigh and things got even better when referee Julian King allowed a try by Forber to stand after John Wilshere appeared to knock-on as he collected his own kick ahead. Owens second conversion had Leigh ahead at 20-18.

Then Leigh hit the self-destruct button as they caved in to concede quick-fire tries from Ballard, Brad Watts and Simon Finnigan to put the game well out of reach.

They did stretch Widnes and it took a textbook tackle by Connolly to prevent Owen scoring again when Jackson had a second wiped out after the referee called play back following a dust-up off the ball between Rowley and Daniel Frame.