ESL Round 12 Review (Saturday
Game)

Leigh 40 Wakefield 18 - Centurions net priceless victory

Former Wigan stand-off Phil Jones scored a hat-trick of tries as improving Leigh climbed off the foot of Super League for the first time with an emphatic 40-18 win over unpredictable Wakefield.

The Centurions grabbed a survival lifeline by extending their unbeaten home run to three matches to leapfrog Widnes into 11th place and increasing the pressure on the Wildcats, who have lost three of their last four matches and hover dangerously above the relegation zone.

The goalkicking Jones, who returned to league last year after spells in rugby union with Orrell and Rotherham, finished with 24 points as Super League?s new boys eventually overpowered their opponents in a tense affair at the Coliseum.

The lead changed hands five times in all and Wakefield led 18-12 after 51 minutes - but the Centurions finished strongly, running in five tries in the last 24 minutes to leave the visitors totally demoralised.

It was the Wildcats who made the early running, with returning duo Sid Domic and Olivier Elima both making clear breaks inside the opening five minutes.

Leigh full-back John Wilshere came to the rescue the first time with a try-saving tackle on winger Semi Tadulala while the home side were relieved to see centre Jason Demetriou?s try disallowed for a forward pass.

The Centurions had a chance to open the scoring but Jones was wide with a penalty and Wildcats stand-off Jamie Rooney showed him the way with a perfect strike after Mark Leafa was penalised for a high tackle on Ben Jeffries.

Wakefield put themselves under pressure with a series of handling errors as they attempted to play expansive rugby and Leigh?s first sustained spell of pressure told on 15 minutes when hooker Paul Rowley darted over from dummy-half on the last tackle.

Jones? conversion made it 6-2 but the lead lasted only six minutes, with Wildcats captain Demetriou tearing through a suspect defence and sending Rooney over for a try which he goaled.

Leigh coach Darren Abram sent on Australian hooker Robbie Mears after half-an-hour for his debut, just three days after landing in the country, and the home side immediately looked better organised.

Wakefield were reduced to 12 men when winger Michael Wainwright was sin-binned for holding down scrum-half John Duffy after he had taken Craig Stapleton?s short pass to go through a gap.

And the Centurions took advantage seven minutes before the break when Wilshere got Jones running into space and he side-stepped full-back Mark Field to touch down.

Jones? second conversion edged his side four points in front and put them in the driving seat.

The game was briefly held up when a ?Fathers for Justice? protester dressed as Batman went onto the pitch but Leigh maintained their concentration to go in at half-time well placed for lift-off.

The lead changed hands again just three minutes into the second half when Wakefield, restored to full strength with Wainwright back from the sin-bin, scored their second try.

Mark Field set up a great attacking position with a midfield run and his namesake Jamie got Domic into a gap for the ex-Warrington man to claim his third try of the season, all of which have come against Leigh.

Rooney maintained his 100% accuracy with the successful conversion but he was off-target when the Wildcats scored their third try on 51 minutes.

It was the best score of the match, with scrum-half Ben Jeffries taking David March?s offload and racing away to the corner. He was eventually caught but found the supporting Mark Applegarth on his inside to finish off the move.

The Centurions might have folded but they hit back with a vengeance, with right winger Steve Maden outjumping Tadulala to re-gather the ball from Duffy?s high kick to claim his side?s third try.

Jones? third successful goal locked the scores at 18-18 and set up a nerve-tingling final quarter.

There were still 19 minutes left when Duffy, clearly anticipating a close finish, tried an unsuccessful drop-goal attempt but the game took on a dramatic twist once Rowley spread the ball out wide from a play-the-ball and Jones crashed over for his second try.

Duffy got Jones over for his hat-trick and, as Wakefield faded badly, substitute full-back Ben Cooper and winger Rob Smyth added further tries, with Jones taking his goal tally to six from eight attempts.

Leigh: Wilshere, Smyth, Jackson, Jones, Maden, Kent, J. Duffy, Fleary, Rowley, Stevens, Stapleton, Leafa, Knott. Replacements: Sturm, Marshall, Mears, Cooper. Wakefield: M. Field, Wainwright, Demetriou, Domic, Tadulala, Rooney, Jeffries, Griffin, Obst, Elima, Wrench, Applegarth, O'Neill. Replacements: March, Korkidas, J. Field, Houles.

Leigh: (12) 40. Tries: Rowley, Jones 3, Maden, Cooper, Smyth. Goals: Jones 6. Wakefield: (8) 18. Tries: Rooney, Domic, Applegarth. Goals: Rooney 3.

Referee: Ashley Klein (London) Att: 3,213

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Thanks to http://www.superleague.co.uk for another excellent article.