Sheffield Eagles 8 Leigh Centurions 44: Centurions coast to eight-try win to end Sheffield’s five-match run

The defeat ended a run of five wins in the league for the Eagles and keeps Leigh three points ahead of Featherstone Rovers at the top of the table.

Poor defending and the Eagles’ inability to control the ball led to almost constant pressure from the Lancashire team who sealed the game with a three-try burst just before half-time.

Eagles put the first points up with a penalty kicked by Simon Brown after Alex Szostak was prevented from playing the ball.

Leigh hit back with Mick Nanyn twisting in at the corner and Dean McGilvray increased the lead with Nanyn adding the goals.

Misi Taulapapa came off the bench, after his delayed return to the Eagles, but the Samoan international couldn’t halt the onslaught as Leigh grabbed three tries in five minutes.

Martyn Ridyard’s try was confirmed by the video ref, Matty Blythe went in from a quick play the ball and Stuart Littler barged over. Nanyn’s kicking faltered and he failed to convert the last two but Leigh went in at half-time 26-2 ahead and game over.

After the restart the Eagles struggled for possession but hooker Andrew Henderson provided an attacking spark before Leigh increased their lead with a Tommy Goulden try.

Ten minutes from time Eagles finally got a try as Alex Szostak collected Menzie Yere’s pass, found a gap in the Leigh line and sent Laulu-Togagae in under the posts. Mitch Stringer added the goal.

Leigh added late tries from Ridyard and Ellis scored late tries with Nanyn ending with six goals from eight attempts.

Sheffield Eagles: Laulu-Togagae; Mills, Yere, Crookes, Finigan; Wood, Brown; Hepworth, Henderson, Stringer, Szostak, Hirst, McDonald. Substitutes: Taulapapa, Rowe, Green, Hepworth.

Leigh Centurions: Donlan; Evans, Blythe, Nanyn, McGilvray; Ridyard, Ellis; Hill, Duff, Mills, Littler, Goulden, Taylor. Substitutes: Maden, Thornley, Govin, Nash.

Referee: M Thomason (RFL).

Swinton were held to a 22-22 draw at Whitehaven in Co-operative Championship One.

Scores from Gavin Dodd, Martin Ainscough and Ian Mort had the league leaders 22-12 to the good but Loz Hamzat and Craig Calvert went over with Lewis Palfrey missing a conversion to win the match for Whitehaven.

Third-placed Rochdale Hornets were convincing 68-0 victors over Gateshead Thunder while South Wales Scorpions recovered from back-to-back defeats with a 40-20 hammering of Oldham.

The struggling London Skolars fell to yet another defeat as they were beaten 33-12 by Workington as second-half tries from Darren King, Elliot Miller and Jarrad Stack sealed the win for the Cumbrian side.