RUGBY LEAGUE: Leigh Centurions showcased their best half of the season as they blitzed Widnes Vikings at the Sports Village.

They then put in an excellent second half defensive effort that quelled the Vikings who pulled it back to 24-16 before Jacob Emmitt crashed through for his sixth try of the season.

The win puts Leigh top of the Championship ahead of their shoot out with Featherstone on Tuesday.

Having started several games slowly this term, Centurions fired out of the blocks with two tries in the first nine minutes following great work from starting props Jacob Emmitt and Ricky Bibey.

After Emmitt and Bibey linked in midfield, Martyn Ridyard stepped and turned past two defenders before Dave McConnell supported on the inside and Mick Nanyn converted.

Some excellent defence then pinned Widnes inside their own half before Bibey caused chaos again with an offload that saw the alert McConnell run to the posts for his second that Nanyn converted.

With Ridyard in inspired kicking form, Leigh continued to dominate and Nanyn went over for his eleventh of the season.

Leigh were in dominant mood and when Widnes were caught offside Nanyn added his third goal to push Leigh 18 points clear.

The visitors came back into the contest with a try in the corner after James Webster kicked for Shaun Ainscough.

But fullback James Ford spilled the ball from the restart and Leigh made the Vikings pay for their error when the ball came out to the left for Nanyn to skittle his way through, before converting, to hand the Centurions a 24-4 advantage.

Widnes had to score first in the second half and did just that when Kirk Netherton grounded from dummy half.

A further try went the Vikings’ way when former Centurion Toa Kohe-Love found Paddy Flynn lurking out wide.

But Leigh rolled the ball back upfield and, following three consecutive sets of possession, Robbie Paul found Emmitt to go over by the posts and Nanyn added his fifth goal before Centurions shut up shop.