Leigh Centurions 22

NO-ONE can accuse Stormin' Norman's Rams-raiders of a smash and grab victory.

The Centurions' eighth successive Northern Ford Premiership win, and against the team that will probably emerge as their biggest title rivals, was gained on merit - even if they did leave it late.

Caretaker coach Norman Turley's second straight win since the shock departure of Ian Millward carried another government health warning.

Against a team with the best defensive record in the division, Leigh, the team with the most potent attack, had scored four tries to one after 45 minutes and were coasting at 16-4 up.

But the Rams are a champion side and the weren't about to let their 100 per cent home record to go easily.

Two tries from rampaging second rower Sean Richardson and three Barry Eaton goals edged the Rams 18-16 in front with 12 minutes left.

Leigh needed a touch of magic and it was young hooker Mick Higham who came up with the match-winning trick. Kieron Purtill, Radney Bowker and Adam Bristow bamboozled the Rams' defence and Higham shot through, held off Damian Ball's despairing tackle and stretched over for the clincher with just four minutes left.

Yet had Anthony Murray not got married the previous day Leigh might have lost! Under normal circumstances Higham probably wouldn't have even been on the pitch at that stage. Higham is usually sacrificed as a tactical second half substitution to get Anthony Murray into the game. Murray was absent yesterday and Higham stole the headlines.

No wonder the kid's emerging as a future Great Britain prospect. As well as figuring prominently in attack, the youngster clocked up an astonishing 34 tackles - and all with a sore shin!

Roared on by over 1000 of their travelling fans, Leigh threw down the gauntlet inside the opening 87 seconds when Craig Dean's long ball found Andy Fairclough and he sent Simon Baldwin over wide out.

Leigh made it 8-0 in the 17th minute when loose-forward Bristow blasted through on the left wing and left the Rams' defence trailing as he galloped 60 metres for a spectacular solo try. Paul Wingfield, not having his best day with the boot, missed both conversion attempts.

Leigh's lead was halved when they left a hole in their defensive line and Rams' sub Andrew Spink went clean through to the corner. Suitably encouraged, the Rams hit Leigh hard. Stuart Donlan saved six points with a magnificent tackle on opposite full-back Nathan Graham and Tim Street and Higham somehow managed to turn Ian Talbot over the line.

Leigh saw off the challenge, went back upfield and plundered a third first half try when Fairclough's dummy and break allowed sub Paul Norman to clatter over at the right corner for a 12-4 interval lead.

The advantage was stretched to 16-4 five minutes after half time when Donlan spotted a gap 45 metres out and beat all comers for a try at the flag.

But there was never a chance the Dewsbury would take defeat lying down and between the 52nd and 68th minutes they had scored three times to snatch an 18-16 lead.

Richardson started the recovery with the first of his two tries, Eaton potted a long range penalty, Talbot had a try disallowed for a double movement before Richardson hacked on a loose ball and regathered to score at the posts.

That's when Leigh had to draw on their strength of character, forcing their way upfield through some good work by Baldwin, Bristow and Whittle to lay siege on the Rams' line.

Twice they got their options wrong but on the third occasion the Rams were mesmerised and Higham gleefully stretched over for the winning six-pointer.

Leigh: Donlan; Wingfield, Cross, Anderson, Hadcroft; Fairclough, Dean; Street, Higham, Whittle, Baldwin, Cruckshank, Bristow. Subs: Purtill, Norman, Causey, Bowker. Attendance: 3027.

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