LEIGH Centurions go into Sunday's clash with the Prescot Panthers knowing it's a game they can't afford to lose.

Such has been Leigh's horrendous opening to the first-ever summer season that even perennial losers Prescot - formerly Highfield - are above them in the second division table!

Under the Highfield banner they had gone more than a year without a league win until toppling Barrow at Easter. Leigh have opened with four successive defeats and a fifth would be unthinkable.

The damage may already have been done with regard to promotion but over the next few weeks they've at least got the chance to start to repair some of the damage.

Including Sunday, five of Leigh's next six games are at home with the only visit they have to make being to Chorley - the one team below themr.

Twelve points out of a possible 20 would make the picture look a whole lot better with the season then approaching half way. But Leigh go into Sunday's game without prop Tim Street who starts a two match suspension. Street was also fined £100 for a foul tackle on Carlisle's Stewart Rhodes on Easter Monday.

But Jason O'Loughlin, put on report for a similar incident at Hunslet last Sunday, has been told he has no case to answer.

Top amateur winger Dean Purtill from the Wigan St Patrick's club gets another chance as a trialist after his four goals and try debut at Hunslet. Leigh's line-up is: O'Loughlin, Hill, Hadcroft, Veikoso, Purtill; Mason, Quigley; McGughan, Bannister, Cain, Daniel, Ball, Lyon. Subs: Ingram, Liku, Fletcher, Sarsfield.

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