Leigh Centurions 55 Doncaster Dragons 14

By Matt Lawton
June 1 2003

A personal haul of 31 points from Centurions full back Neil Turley helped the hosts along to a comfortable National League victory over Doncaster.

Turley came close to breaking the eleven year club record for points in a match, though he won't mind being seven points short of John Woods' record as he played in a major role in as Leigh romped to an easy victory.

Leigh started like a house on fire and scored of the game's first set of six, despite Leigh kicking off to start the game. Pat Weisner retrieved Neil Turley's kick off which sprung a set of six which culminated in Leroy Rivett going in at the corner following a scintilating passage of play from the Centurions. Turley landed the touchline conversion to give Leigh the perfect start.

The Centurions extended their lead when Turley went in for his first try of the afternoon who then converted his own try.

Adam Bristow then scored the first of his tries before Turley collected his second of the afternoon along with a drop goal. Former Lance Todd Trophy winner Leroy Rivett went in for his second try before Doncaster pulled back an unconverted try on the stroke of half time to give a 31-4 half time advantage in Leigh's favour.

Leigh again scored almost directly from the kick off when the Dragons failed to retrieve their own kick off, which was pounced upon by Neil Turley who strolled home from sixty yards for his hat trick try under the sticks.

Leigh went on to score further tries through David Bradbury, Adam Bristow which cancelled out two tries scored in vain by the visitors.

It was the perfect response by the Centurions to silence their critics who had become prominent following last weekend's shock defeat to Oldham. Leigh will be looking to take the same vein of form into next week's Arriva Cup Semi Final against old foes Whitehaven Warriors at Hilton Park.