LEIGH Centurions backed up their hard fought win at Batley with this free-flowing 58-18 hammering of third placed Sheffield as Rugby League returned to Leigh Sports Village for the first time in a month.

Leigh made a quick start and were handed an early advantage when the Eagles Cory Aston was sent off for a dangerous tackle on Gregg McNally in the fourth minute.

It was Gregg's second heavy challenge of the game and he was to receive more treatment in addition to scoring a sparkling hat-trick, creating two tries and being carried off the field.

The Centurions applied early pressure and were rewarded when Greg Worthington scored after seven minutes.

Martyn Ridyard hit the first of nine goals and was soon getting more practice when from the next set Ryan Brierley broke away from a thunderous drive and an offload from Fuifui Moimoi released McNally for his first try.

Although the Eagles hit back and laid seige to the Leigh line for much of the next 10 minutes, it was Leigh that claimed the points when Brierley turned from try provider to scorer, picking off a wide ball from Kyle Briggs to race clear from 80 metres.

The visitors threatened to get back in the contest after 22 minutes when Quentin Laulu-Togagae thought he was set for four points before a magnificent tackle from Liam Kay wrapped him up in-goal and the ball was spilled.

Another Brierley intercept saw the hosts grab their fourth try with Adam Higson collecting the offload to run 50m to touch down.

The Centurions looked likely to hoist more points before Dixon blotted his otherwise fine copybook when he offloaded to Sam Smeaton and the centre raced 85m to score at the other end.

Leigh finished the first half strongly with a superb pass by Ridyard seeing Kay over for the first of his hat-trick.

Early in the second half, Sheffield pulled a try back through Bradford loanee Dave Peterson.

The home side stepped up the pace McNally was twice the beneficiary as he claimed a second hat-trick of the season.

The first came courtesy of a switch play between Brierley and Ridyard close to the linewhile the second was a more spectacular finish after Hock and Higham had created the momentum from halfway.

The Leigh full-back then turned try provider with a lovely pass for Kay to go over after 56 minutes and the wingman was denied another a couple of minutes later when pulled back on the halfway line.

Duane Straugheir stepped off the bench to score for the Eagles before the hour mark and a few minutes later Gareth Hock was sin-binned after an altercation with Misi Taulapapa.

McNally then put Kay in for his third and collect an injury from a high looking challenge from Smeaton.

A tenth Leigh score followed five minutes from the end when Tom Armstrong scored a great team try and Martin Ridyard to completed his 18 point haul with the boot.

A late consolation came from Sheffield's Taulapapa, but Leigh were comfortable and returned to the Championship summit.