LEIGH side-stepped a potential banana skin in Cumbria to stretch their winning run to 27 games and stay ahead of Bradford Bulls in the Kingstone Press Championship.

Gareth Hock stole the show with a dominant forward display while Ryan Brierley and Ben Reynolds combined well at half-back.

Brierley ran in four tries and kicked four goals, racking up 24 points, while Jonny Pownall also crossed for two tries.

Leigh were put under pressure early on but responded with the first try as Pownall finished smartly in the corner after latching on to a Brierley pass.

Brierley took over the goal-kicking responsibilities from the rested Martyn Ridyard and sent his first attempt wide.

Two penalties and determined running from Whitehaven paved the way for some smart footwork by former Leigh East prop Ben Davies, who scored at the side of the posts.

And French fullback Louis Jouffret converted to briefly give the hosts advantage.

A glut of penalties in Leigh's favour resulted in referee Jamie Bloem handing the hosts a team warning, and when dual contract forward Ted Chappelhow held down after 20 minutes, he was dispatched to the sin bin.

The 10 minutes Chappelhow was sent to the sidelines were crucial to the outcome as the Centurions ran riot, scoring three tries to take the score from a competitive 6-4 to Whitehaven to a 20-6 advantage for Leigh.

Within a minute of having numerical advantage, Leigh pounced with Reynolds setting up Matt Sarsfield for a comeback try from 15 metres out.

Brierley converted and was on target again two minutes later after he chased down his own kick after Adam Higson had made in-roads down the right.

Brierley then returned the favour to Higson following a superb run and offload from Hock.

Higson finished well and there was better to come from the Centurions before half time as they clinically exposed the Haven defence.

First Pownall showed great awareness to dance around Jordan Sigismeau for a superb 12th try of the season and then a couple of minutes from the break Brierley blazed in for his second with the half-back's third goal handing the Centurions a comfortable 30-6 lead.

Smart hands by Mickey Higham paved the way for a Brierley hat-trick and at 36-6 the game was Leigh's.

Whitehaven upped their game and defended stoically before magic hands from Gregg McNally saw the former Haven prospect again torment his hometown club.

He somehow popped the ball out of a two-man tackle for Greg Worthington to keep his recent scoring form going; touching down for his fourth of the season to make it 40-6 after 55 minutes.

Whitehaven then enjoyed the next 20 minutes, as Leigh rang the changes with Sarsfield and Worthington forced to retire due to injury.

The hosts' pressure eventually resulted in Jessie Joe Parker creating a try for teenager Jordan Johnstone.

Jouffret added his second goal and some outstanding support after Jordan Burns' fortuitous take and break saw Sigismeau draw Brierley for Richard Lepori to score.

Parker missed his conversion attempt before Leigh finished on a high with Brierley zipping away from the defence after galloping through from halfway for his fourth and Centurions' ninth try.

He made way for Fuifui Moimoi to convert from in front of the posts with a beaming grin, much to the delight of Leigh's supporters.

Leigh Centurions: McNally, Pownall, Worthington, Higson, Kay; Brierley, Reynolds; Hock, Beswick, Acton, Sarsfield, Dixon, Spencer. Subs (all used): Higham, Wilkes, Moimoi, Emmett.

Referee: Jamie Bloem.

Attendance: 841.