LEIGH Centurions did just about enough to keep title rivals Dewsbury Rams at arms length and extend their winning run to 23 matches.

Coach Paul Rowley anticipated his Championship table toppers would face the season's toughest challenge so far at the fourth-placed side and so it proved, as the home side pushed Leigh all the way.

Liam Kay ran in a hat-trick of tries, while Gregg McNally, Martyn Ridyard and Greg Worthington also went over for the Centurions.

But the Rams responded with five tries of their own and Rowley's visitors were left hanging on in the final 10 minutes of a bruising encounter.

Kieran Hyde converted a penalty to open the scoring for Dewsbury in the fourth minute and Rob Spicer added another four points for the home side after making the most of a short ball to score the opening try.

The Centurions' Sam Barlow then lost his cool, conceding two penalties and a sin-binning in quick succession after both he and Adam Higson had tries chalked off for forward passes – two of five such decisions to go against Leigh in the contest.

Going a man down sparked the visitors into life.

This Leigh side is as spirited as it is skilful however and forward charges by Oliver Wilkes and Jake Emmitt helped them turn it around.

Worthington slipped the ball out for Kay to touch down his first in the 23rd minute and Ridyard converted the first of four goals.

A second Centurions try followed within minutes as Michael Platt slipped defensive shackles and cleverly smuggled the ball clear for McNally to ground with almost telescopic reach.

The full-back missed last week's defeat of Batley but was at the hub of many of Centurions' best plays, illustrated when he moved the ball quickly for Kay to ground for his second in the left corner.

After conceding 18 points in quick succession, Dewsbury looked like they would reply with a second try when former Papua New Guinea star Makali Aizue thundered 40 metres following a 20-metre tap, only for McNally to halt him in full flight.

The Rams fired play to their right before an ambitious pass from Anthony Thackeray was picked off by Ridyard, who ran over half the length of the field to score. Unfortunately for him, the conversion attempt struck the upright and bounced out.

Seconds from the break Dewsbury roared back into the contest when Brett Seymour and Thackeray combined for Karl Pryce to step over from close range.

Again, the conversion sailed wide to give Leigh a 22-10 advantage at half-time.

The second half started with both teams going set for set before Dewsbury forced a breakthrough – Welsh winger Dalton Grant sailing over on the left following good work by Seymour and Aaron Brown.

Seymour converted but Leigh hit back quickly, working some rare space inside their own half between Bob Beswick, Worthington and Kay.

Hemmed into the touchline, Kay dabbed the ball forward with Worthington collecting in one movement to go over.

Ridyard restored the twelve-point gap but that advantage lasted just six minutes.

Former Salford and Halifax star Luke Adamson shook off two tacklers and stepped around McNally for a Seymour goaled try.

Leigh again looked to have made the game safe in the 62nd minute when Ryan Brierley, Ridyard and McNally all combined to put Kay over for his hat-trick.

Grant responded with his second try and Seymour his third goal to make things twitchy for the final 10 minutes.

Leigh saw two further tries to Jamie Acton (obstruction) and Ridyard (forward pass) disallowed that would have made the game safe, but the spirited Centurions held off a late charge from the Rams to continue their record-breaking winning run.

Leigh Centurions: McNally, Higson, Platt, Worthington, Kay; Ridyard, Brierley; Spencer, Beswick, Aspinwall, Haggerty, Goulden, Barlow. Subs: Wilkes, Acton, Dixon, Emmitt.

Referee: Dave Merrick

Attendance: 1,551.