Leigh Centurions 26 Batley Bulldogs 4: Blythe hat-trick has Batley on back foot

Batley Bulldogs went to Leigh in search of their third successive Championship victory and after conceding the first try by Matty Blythe attacked with venom.

Jason Walton then emerged at both ends of the field first in attack and then with a crunching hit on James Taylor. Further runs by Bryon Smith and Sean Hesketh signalled Batley's intentions.

Sadly, the closest Batley went to scoring before the break was when Ian Preece was hauled down close in the 11th minute but Leigh and Blythe scored their second try after 18 minutes to establish an 8-0 lead

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Blythe was on hand to complete his hat-trick before the Bulldogs fired to life and enjoyed the better of the last 10 minutes with a try by James Martin off the sleight of hand of Paul Handforth although the half-back surprisingly fluffed the goal.

Trailing 14-4 at half-time, Batley needed a good start to the second half but they instead conceded a drop out.

However, the Bulldogs went on to impress with Jason Walton and Hesketh well to the fore but the Centurions scored a further two tries in the last quarter, through Chris Hill and John Duffy, to send Batley back over the Pennines with nothing to show for their efforts.

Leigh Centurions: Donlan, Alstead, Blythe, Nanyn, Maden; Ridyard, Paul; Hill, McConnell, Bibey, Goulden, Taylor, McCarthy. Substitutes: Armitstead, Duffy, Morrison, Mitchell.

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Batley Bulldogs: Campbell, Barlow, Griffin, Maun, Preece; Handforth, Wood; Hesketh, Lythe, Smith, Buttery, Walton, T Gallagher. Substitutes: J Gallagher, Lindsay, Martin, Tootill

Referee: G Hewer (RFL).