THERE weren’t too many champagne moments to mark travel weary Leigh’s home coming to Leigh Sports Village.

But resolute Featherstone Rovers couldn’t spoil the party as Neil Jukes’ Centurions took another step closer to claiming a third successive Kingstone Press Championship League Leaders’ Shield, winning 16-12.

And with four of their remaining six games also in front of their own fans prior to the Middle 8’s campaign, Leigh are well placed to complete a notable Treble.

They remain three points clear of second placed London Broncos, 42-16 winners at Swinton, though Centurions’ trip to the capital on June 26 should make for interesting viewing.

At least there’s no scramble to make the top four with seemingly a quartet of clubs scrapping for two remaining places.

Rovers, humbled 37-0 by Halifax at the Summer Bash, are one of those clubs and they made Leigh scrap for a 15th Championship victory.

The result was still in doubt at the final hooter after Bradley Knowles-Tagg’s touch down and Jamie Foster’s conversion cut Leigh’s lead to four points with two minutes remaining.

But Leigh saw out the game to mark their first home appearance after four successive away days with a welcome two points.

They certainly didn’t have things all their own way and Rovers gave as good as they got trying to inflict Leigh’s first home defeat of the campaign.

However, the visitors were first to crack and Josh Drinkwater sent in Liam Kay to break the deadlock after 25 minutes. Travis Burns goaled to make it 6-0.

Jon Sharp’s Featherstone responded well with Andy Ellis diving over approaching the half hour. Ex Saint, Jamie Foster, missed the conversion and it stayed at 6-4 until 52 minutes when Drinkwater claimed his second try assist with Greg Worthington profiting from the pass.

Foster brought Rovers back within four points with a 62nd minute penalty and they pressed hard for an equalising score.

Instead, Tom Armstrong crossed for the crucial score with four minutes to go with Drinkwater adding the extras. And it was just as well as Knowles-Tagg put the outcome in the balance with his even later touch down.

Leigh: Smith; Higson, Worthington, Armstrong, Kay; Burns, Drinkwater; Moimoi, Hood, Weston, Maitua, Paterson, Hansen; subs: Reynolds, Fash, Hopkins, Evans.

Tries: Kay (23), Worthington (52), Armstrong (75); Goals: Burns (1), Drinkwater (1) Featherstone: Craven; Johnson, Hardman, Cording, Foster; Briggs, Thackeray; Griffin, Ellis, Baldwinson, Spears, Davies, Knowles-Tagg; subs: Roche, Ormondroyd, Bostock, Ward.

Tries: Ellis (28), Knowles-Tagg (78) Goals: Foster (2) Referee: Sam Ansell Attendance: 3,503 *Meanwhile, stand-off Martyn Ridyard has been linked with a move to Super 8’s contenders, Wakefield Trinity.

*Leigh are mourning the death of former Great Britain forward, Alan Rathbone who died on June 5, aged 57. Rathbone, who also served Rochdale, Bradford, Warrington and Leeds, played 77 times for Centurions.

*Lewis Foster made his debut for Oldham in the Roughyeds’ 46-10 defeat at Dewsbury. Jonny Pownall, who has also made the same one-month loan switch, didn’t feature.

Winger Eze Harper has been allowed to join Barrow for a month loan period, but has yet to make his bow for the Raiders after missing their 42-34 defeat at London Skolars.