Leigh Centurions 34 London Broncos 30

LEIGH suffered a late reality check to take the gloss off their opening Middle 8s victory with coach Neil Jukes admitting: “Thank goodness for the hooter,” writes Trevor Baxter.

Coasting to an easy victory Centurions conceded 22 points in the closing nine minutes and had centre Greg Worthington sent off for fighting with Broncos’ talisman, Jamie Soward.

“I am not sure if it was a bit of complacency because they thought the game was won,” said Jukes after new Aussie centre Mitch Brown marked his debut with a try double.

“Or whether they were fatigued though they told me they weren’t.

“We just switched off and that’s one thing you can’t do in this competition.

“Salford (Leigh’s next opponents on Saturday) will be looking at this and getting really excited. So, the last nine minutes was the first nine minutes we reviewed.

“But we are a team about progression. And last year it took us four games to get two points; this time we have got the win in game one.

“That should take some of the nervousness off us and next week we are going in against Salford as the underdog. But it was a good lesson.”

Leigh led 14-8 after a first half which also didn’t always go as planned.

Indeed, Centurions ended with 12 men after Cory Paterson’s 32nd minute sin binning for a high tackle on full-back Alex Walker.

The natives were certainly restless, not expecting such a close game.

So, there was much relief when the 12-men made the most of successive penalties to move down field and fashion a first try in Leigh colours for versatile Brown.

Martyn Ridyard converted to add to a 10th minute penalty and conversion to winger Matty Dawson’s 22nd minute touch down.

Broncos, beaten twice during the regular campaign by their hosts, touched down through centre Ben Hellewell with Soward landing two goals.

Leigh were taking no chances in their desire to open up with victory. So, when Jamie Thackray went high on Danny Tickle, Ridyard smashed over a 35 metres penalty after 43 minutes to leave the visitors two scores adrift.

And a clash between Micky Higham and Elliot Kear led to the Broncos being placed on a team warning.

The repeat sets kept coming and it was no surprise when Leigh grabbed a third try after 46 minutes from Reni Maitua, goaled again by accurate Ridyard.

And when Brown went over for his second try 18 minutes from time, Leigh had their first Middle 8s victory. Or so they thought.

Josh Drinkwater’s raking kick was fumbled in front of his own posts by butter fingers Walker and from the scrum Brown smashed through some weak tackling to cross for a converted try.

Dawson then motored in for the home side’s fifth try with Ridyard’s seventh successive goal stretching the lead to 34-8.

But London weren’t finished. Worthington and Soward clashed after the former sent-in Api Pewhairangi at the corner and referee Ben Thaler dismissed both.

Former Irish international Pewhairangi suddenly came to life, scoring again and prominent as Andy Ackers and Daniel Harrison crossed for converted scores before the final hooter sounded.

Match stats:

Leigh: McNally; Higson, Worthington, Brown, Dawson; Ridyard, Drinkwater; Moimoi, Higham, Weston, Maitua, Paterson, Hock; substitutes: Reynolds, Acton, Tickle, Hansen.

Tries: Dawson (22, 66), Brown (36, 62), Maitua (46).

Goals: Ridyard 7/7.

London Broncos: Walker; Williams, Helliwell, Kear, Macani; Pewhairangi, Soward; Slyney, Ackers, Ioane, Harrison, Garside, Bussey; substitutes: Cunningham, Magrin, Thackray, Battye.

Tries: Helliwell (28), Pewhairangi (71, 75), Ackers (78), Harrison (80).

Goals: Soward (2), Pewhairangi (3).

Referee: Ben Thaler.

Attendance: 4,041.