Centurions promoted to Super League

Leigh secured their place in Super League for 2017, making it five wins from five in the Qualifiers by hanging on for a 48-40 victory against the Huddersfield at the Leigh Sports Village.

The Centurions went into the interval with a 42-10 against their Super League opponents.

Leigh made an excellent start, Greg Worthington going over in the corner after Greg McNally’s pass.

Martin Ridyard added the extras to give Leigh an early 6-0 lead.

Leigh continued to assert their dominance in the opening stages, Matty Dawson touching down.

The Championship side raced into an 18-0 lead with less than 15 minutes gone, Dawson scoring his second try of the match before Ridyard successfully converted.

Michael Lawrence scored Huddersfield’s first points, diving across after Dane Weston conceded a penalty.

Huddersfield’s Adam Murphy further reduced the deficit, crashing over the whitewash after Joe Wardle’s pass.

Just as the Giants were turning the screw, Ridyard intercepted Brough’s pass and ran 85 metres before scoring another four-pointer.

The Centurions were determined to secure their place in Super League, Dawson notching a hat-trick of tries. Ridyard continued his 100% conversion rate to hand Leigh a 20-point lead with seven minutes of the first half left.

Josh Drinkwater continued to have a big influence in the match, Cory Paterson getting on the end of his kick before going over.

Leigh continued to blow their Super League opponents away in the first half, Ridyard rounding off a brilliant team move by diving over after the hooter had sounded.

Brough looked to score some early points for the Giants in the second half but Andrew Dixon made a vital interception to stop the Huddersfield man a metre from the whitewash.

Mitch Brown continued to rub salt in the wounds for Huddersfield, diving across and establishing a 48-10 lead with the help of another successful Ridyard conversion.

Jake Connor registered another try for the Giants in a bid to try and salvage something from this match. Brough rifled the kick in off the post to add the extras.

The Centurions weren’t home and dry just yet, a pair of Leroy Cudjoe tries bringing the score back to 48-28 with 15 minutes left to play.

Huddersfield moved back to within 14 points of their opponents after Jamie Ellis touched down despite the best efforts of Paterson to deny him.