LEIGH Centurions’ latest triumph has set the club’s record start to the season.

Paul Rowley’s class of 2014 have won all 12 of their opening games to become the first Leigh side since rugby league was born in 1895 to accomplish the feat.

“When I learned of that it made my day,” said Rowley. “It’s fantastic, a massive achievement, hopefully on the way to bigger achievements. If you were building a house, it’s a big building block and we are really proud of the fact.

“We don’t really keep an eye on records but to be informed when they come up like this is nice. With something like this – well we have had the best start to a season ever in the history of Leigh Centurions.

“To be the first to do something in over a hundred years of history is a great achievement.”

A proud Rowley praised the influence of his backroom team in a week where the club won the Kingstone Press Championship team of the week for their dismantling of Featherstone Rovers.

“I’d like to mention that it is very much a team effort at Leigh, from players, to medical staff to coaching staff,” he added. “We truly are in it together.

“I would hope, if they haven’t already, that the town of Leigh start to recognise what the players are doing. They deserve the credit and raised profile.”

Kurt Haggerty was named Championship Player of the week, with Tom Armstrong and Ryan Brierley also included in the team of the week.

On a weekend where Leigh’s high-flying reserves dispatched Midlands Academy 88-10, including a hat-trick from Johnny Pownall and a 32-point haul for scrum-half Josh Ward, Centurions allowed forward Andy Thornley to move to Swinton on loan.

“Andy has had a couple of runs in the reserves,” added Rowley. “He is unfortunate in that he plays in one of those positions where everyone is fit and healthy.

“It’s not fair for him not to be playing. He needs to be playing and I make no secret that I’m friends with Ian Watson at Swinton.

“They play on our ground so there are no issues with travelling and with our ambitions we can also keep an eye on him. It’s good that he can go out and get this game-time.”

Leigh travel to Dewsbury on Sunday, with the Rams slipping to sixth after a promising start.

“They might have been a little bit inconsistent in their results,” explained Rowley. “But the wins they have had since the start of the season have shown they are more than capable of turning over the best teams in this league.

“Being at home as well makes them a very, very dangerous team. Places like Dewsbury makes men out of people. There is no hiding place. They have the physicality and we are expecting a tough physical battle.”

A reserve side containing Pownall, Martin Aspinwall and Anthony Bate will play at York on Thursday, 8pm.