Leigh Centurions secured the Championship League Leaders’ Shield with a 42-4 win over Widnes Vikings.
Ryan Ince’s try on the hooter gave the travelling Vikings supporters something to cheer after a brave defensive effort in the second half against their full-time opposition.
The hosts came in to the game off the back of scoring 100 points against York last week, and the Vikings welcomed back four to the starting 17 – skipper Jack Owens, Aaron Brown, Josh Johnson and Shane Grady.
It took seven minutes for the deadlock to be broken as Leigh took advantage of a knock on, scoring through Josh Charnley in the corner off the resulting scrum.
Blake Ferguson, who had been penalised for an apparent shoulder charge on Sam Wilde moments early, then twice powered over on the right edge to make it 14-0 after a quarter of an hour.
They added two more tries before half time through Ben Nakubuwai and Ed Chamberlain, either side of a sin-binning for Danny Craven for pulling back Chamberlain on a Leigh break.
Trailing 26-0 at half time, Widnes spent much of the second half defending in their own end but proved a tough nut to crack.
Nakubuwai bounced off a couple of defenders and the post to touch down six minutes in to the second half for the only score in the first 25 minutes after half time, as Widnes twice made last ditch efforts to save tries.
Two more tries came through Charnley and Chamberlain, who seared away down the right touchline from 40 metres, but Widnes denied Leigh a clean sheet late on.
Matty Fozard’s 40/20 gave Widnes their first possession in the Leigh 20 metres in the whole of the second half, and from it they earned a penalty and then created an overlap on the right for Ince to squeeze in at the corner.
Leigh Centurions: Caleb Aekins, Blake Ferguson, Keanan Brand, Ed Chamberlain, Josh Charnley, Lachlan Lam, Joe Mellor, Tom Amone, Aaron Smith, Adam Sidlow, Joe Wardle, Sam Stone, John Asiata.
Interchanges: Mark Ioane, Edwin Ipape, Kai O’Donnell, Ben Nakubuwai.
Tries: Josh Charnley 2, Blake Ferguson 2, Ben Nakubuwai 2, Ed Chamberlain 2. Goals: Ed Chamberlain 6/8
Widnes Vikings: Jack Owens, Ryan Ince, Matt Fleming, Steve Tyrer, Joe Edge, Danny Craven, Matty Smith, Josh Johnson, Matty Fozard, Owen Farnworth, Shane Grady, Sam Wilde, Liam Bent.
Interchanges: Aaron Brown, Olly Davies, Eribe Doro, Callum Field.
Tries: Ryan Ince. Goals: Jack Owens 0/1
