RYAN Brierley was back on familiar territory to watch his old club’s latest Kingstone Press Championship nail biter.

After a week when ex Centurions boss, Paul Rowley, was confirmed as head coach of Toronto Wolfpack, Brierley took the chance to run the rule over his former team mates.

And he witnessed a see-saw struggle as Neil Jukes’ team finally broke Batley’s spirited resistance with two tries in the final two minutes from Lee Smith and Sam Hopkins.

Leigh twice led by 13 points but faced a first home defeat of the campaign when substitute James Harrison crossed for a converted try six minutes from time.

Batley, 24-22 winners when the teams met in the opening weekend of the campaign back in February, looked capable of securing a notable double.

Instead, Smith and Hopkins came to the rescue to keep Leigh at the top of the table and follow-up the previous week’s equally dramatic triumph at Featherstone Rovers.

And they go into an enforced break, due to last month’s Challenge Cup exit in Toulouse, one point clear of London Broncos who added to Bradford’s misery with a 30-16 victory at Ealing Trailfinders.

Batley’s fifth defeat of the season leaves them fifth, one point off the top four but eight behind Leigh whose only worry was a first half injury to Rangi Chase that left the former England international unable to continue.

Leigh led 13-6 at half-time as the Bulldogs certainly didn’t appear to have Friday’s Challenge Cup fixture with Catalans Dragons on their minds.

Two equally matched sides were level for almost the first quarter until Martyn Ridyard produced a telling pass to put in winger Liam Kay.

Ridyard’s first of six conversions brought up a Championship half century of goals on his way to retaining his tag as the division’s leading points scorer.

Ex Wigan winger Shaun Ainscough took advantage of slack Leigh play to level the scores, helped by Dom Brambani’s goal, after 27 minutes.

But Jamie Acton was the destructive architect for Harrison Hansen to register his opening touch down five minutes from the break. Ridyard improved and also booted a drop goal for early, extra insurance.

Hansen added a second touchdown early in the second period as his man of the match performance gained greater significance.

Alistair Leak and Liam Hood traded six-point tries leaving Leigh 25-12 in front. But Batley weren’t finished and influential Brambani made one score for Alex Bretherton and touched down himself in the space of three minutes.

Harrison, strapping son of former GB international, Karl Harrison, piled on the pressure with the Bulldogs’ final try. Brambani converted all three scores and John Kear’s visitors led 30-25.

Down and out? Not a bit of it and Leigh had the last words through Smith and prolific Hopkins to break Batley hearts.

Leigh:

Smith: Higson, Whiting, Armstrong, Kay; Ridyard, Chase; Emmitt, Higham, Weston, Maitua, Hock, Hansen; substitutes: Acton, Spencer, Hopkins, Hood.

Tries: Kay (19), Hansen (36, 43), Hood (56), Smith (78), Hopkins (79)

Goals: Ridyard (6)

Drop goal: Ridyard

Batley:

Scott; Brown, Miniken, Casey, Ainscough; Southernwood, Brambani; Hirst, Davey, Hesketh, Chandler, Bretherton, Blake; substitutes: Lillycrop, Leak, Harrison, Petersen.

Tries: Ainscough (27), Leak (50), Bretherton (65), Brambani (69), Harrison (74)

Goals: Brambani (5)

Referee: Chris Campbell

Attendance; 3,389