SWINTON 22 LEIGH 34
By Dave Parkinson.
Paul Wingfield's 7 goals from 7 attempts helped Leigh leapfrog Dewsbury into outright second place, a position few would have predicted at the start of the season.
The Centurions ninth league success on the season was built in the forwards with Tim Street, Heath Cruckshank, Paul Norman and Jamie Kennedy having fine games.
Leigh were quickly into the game and shocked their local rivals when from their first possession, Alan Hadcroft forced an error from Lions Welsh-aussie Price-Jones who was forced to leave the field. The visitors then worked the ball wide and former Gold Coast forward Cruckshank charged over for a converted score.
By the 17th minute Swinton had got themselves back into the contest with Gartland kicking 2 penalties. Lions full-back Mark Welsby scored the first try for the home team four minutes later, showing good awareness in support. Scrum-half Gartland again converted, giving the home side a slender four point advantage.
After Murray and Street were held-up over the line, Leigh finally made their pressure count when Scott Hilton's inside ball from a scrum put Radney Bowker over for a 29th minute touchdown. Wingfield's conversion and 2 penalties saw a 16-10 scoreline to the visitors.
Three minutes from the break, Wingfield turned from hero to villain, rooted to the spot as opposing winger Simon Ashcroft rose high to catch the ball and touch down following Gartland's cross-field kick. Gartland's conversion tied the game.
With the final play of the half, Leigh launched an ambitious attack and were rewarded when Bowker's inside ball was hacked on by Paul Norman who won the race for a scoring touch.
Leigh scored again 90 seconds after the restart with a determined drive from Norman. Wingfield's conversion gave Leigh breathing space at 28-16 as Swinton employed a more expansive game.
Lion's half-backs Gartland and Ian Watson tried hard to break the defence but Leigh forced errors on several occasions with Kennedy tracking and hurrying both players across the park.
After 59 minutes, the Centurions stretched their lead when Keiron Purtill was adjudged to have been fouled near the line and Referee Nicholson awarded a penalty try.
This try proved to be the gamebreaker as Leigh closed the game down in the final 20 minutes with no-frills play and solid tackling.
The Lions were rewarded for their efforts in the last minute however, when Gartland slit the defence and put big substitute Steve Taylor over for a converted score to restrict Leigh's winning margin to 12 points.
Attendance: 1300
Swinton Lions 22
(Minutes in Brackets)
Tries: Welsby (21), Ashcroft (37), Taylor (80).
Goals: Gartland 5 (from 5)
Leigh Centurions 34
(Minutes in Brackets)
Tries: Cruckshank (4), Bowker (29), Norman (40, 42), K. Purtill (59)
Goals: Wingfield 7 (from 7)
Man of the Match
Leigh: Tim Street No.8 - The Leigh prop just shaded it over Cruckshank and Kennedy with a non-stop display.
Swinton: Steve Gartland No.7 - Although playing behind a beaten pack the scrum-half was at the hub of the Lions best moves. He also booted 5 goals from 5 attempts.
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