A bumper Easter Thursday crowd were treated to a fast flowing game at Leigh Sports Village as the Centurions overcame Swinton Lions.
Neil Jukes had picked a strong side from his squad of internationals to put Leigh on the front foot.
In the opening exchange Swinton had a good change to nick points when Macauley Hallett chased a kick into the left corner but Lee Smith hacked it dead in goal.
Smith would as insult to injury putting the Centurions ahead on eighth minutes when he scored out on the right and Martyn Ridyard converted the first of seven for another stellar night with the boot.
Three minutes later Leigh stretched ahead when loanee Richard Owen went over in the corner, then on 20 minutes Dayne Weston scored off a Ben Reynolds pass.
Leigh turned the screw when Sam Hopkins added a fourth by the posts with nine minutes left.
Just after the break there was an altercation between Stuart Littler and Ben Reynolds and referee Chris Campbell sent them both to the sin-bin to cool off.
But when Josh Barlow held up Ridyard, Micky Higham darted over from acting half back for Leigh’s fifth.
The Lions then had some more good chances to get on the scoreboard and Matty Beharrell went closest when he followed a kick between the posts but as he dived to touch it down the ball bounced away.
Anthony Nicholson and Connor Dwyer then both had good chances but Leigh who went further ahead when Harrison Hansen scored on the hour.
Leigh couldn’t stop scoring and a few minutes later they were in again when former Lion Tom Armstrong latched on to a Lewis Charnock pass on halfway and he weaved through to score under the posts.
The Lions were not giving up and chance after chance was thwarted before Liam Marshall scored his first ever Lions try on 70 minutes.
A short kick provided space for a touchdown in the corner, and Chris Atkin landed a super conversion from the touchline which got a huge roar from the large contingent of Swinton fans.
With six left on the clock Litter went close when he was brought down just short of the line.
The ball swung left, Beharrell put up a bomb towards the left corner and Marshall outjumped Owen to score again in the corner and Atkin again converted.
Lions fans got a good cheer from the Leigh following but ultimately Swinton went down 42-12.
After the match Swinton players tweeted their support.
Great effort from the lads tonight against a very good Leigh side not used to that middle though #blowing big week coming up!
— matty beharrell (@MBeharrell) March 24, 2016
Good to get back out there tonight after injury, shame about the result but looking toward two big games now with the boys!
— Corbyn Kilday (@corbkilday) March 24, 2016
Swinton Lions: 14.Kieran Hyde, 2.Shaun Robinson, 3.Stuart Littler, 4.Macauley Hallett, Liam Marshall, 6.Ben White, 1.Chris Atkin, 13.Rob Lever, 9.Anthony Nicholson, 10.Jordan Hand, 11.Connor Dwyer, 23.Rhodri Lloyd, 12.Andy Thornley.
Subs: 16.Ben Austin, 15. Corbyn Kilday, 19.Josh Barlow, 7.Matty Beharrell.
Referee: Chris Campbell
Attendence: 3,230
