LEIGH Centurions fought back from an eight-point deficit at half-time to draw 36-36 at Kingstone Press Championship title rivals Bradford Bulls.

The thrilling match was watched by 9,181 fans at the Provident Stadium – the highest attendance in the league this season, boosted by more than 2,000 supporters from Leigh.

The result left Paul Rowley's side with one hand on the title.

They go into the final two games of the regular season, both at home, with a two-point advantage over the Bulls, a game in hand and a vastly superior goal difference.

The Bulls gave it everything to wrestle control of the title chase from Leigh, who once again showed they do not know when they are beaten.

From the opening whistle the home side harried Leigh and an uncharacteristic fumble on the first carry of the game from Fuifui Moimoi heaped pressure on the visitors.

Bradford were good enough to take advantage as they moved play right without success before bringing the ball back left where Jay Pitts got between two defenders to score.

Former Leigh dual contract man Ryan Shaw hit the conversion.

The Centurions responded after 12 minutes, going close on their previous set before Gareth Hock showed his strength to muscle over the line from close range.

Martyn Ridyard goaled but the Leigh half-backs were not at their most fluent.

Centurions did take the lead in the 20th minute, when space opened up for Gregg McNally, who flicked a pass to Jonny Pownall on the Bradford 20 to score the first of an important hat-trick.

Ridyard's second goal made it 12-6 in Leigh's favour but the Bulls were quick to respond.

Bradford seized on the bobbling ball and Omari Caro went in at the corner for his first try of the day.

Shaw goaled and Caro followed up with his second. The former London Broncos and Hull KR man made the most of long passes by Danny Addy and Adam Henry to outpace the Centurions defence from 60 metres.

Bradford increased their lead to 20-12 before the break when Shaw landed his fourth goal of the game, seizing on a chance after Sam Hopkins conceded a penalty.

Hopkins came close to making up for his brief lapse of discipline when he powered his way to the line, only to knock on as he tried to ground.

Mickey Higham was thrust into the fray in the second half and the Centurions began to look a different proposition.

Within three minutes of the restart Greg Worthington showed good strength to finish approach play by Ryan Brierley.

The hooker caused havoc again four minutes later, jumping from dummy half for Sam Barlow to break the line and feed Brierley to the posts.

Two conversions from Ridyard made it 24-20.

Centurions looked ready to steamroller the opposition but the Bulls defended well before nudging back in front following a 40-metre raid that involved Chev Walker, Paul Clough and was finished by Addy.

The game took on the rhythm of a heavyweight slugging match as Leigh hit straight back on 63 minutes when good work by Gareth Hock and Higham opened a chance for Pownall to produce another emphatic finish.

Ridyard's fifth goal made it 30-26 to Leigh but the game was far from finished.

Former Leigh dual contract centre Matty Blythe was next on the scoresheet following a rare error from Adam Higson on the back of an O'Brien kick and Shaw nudged the hosts in front with the conversion.

Great drama followed nine minutes from the end when Addy tried to find Caro for a 10-metre walk in, only to instead find Pownall who sped 90 metres for his third and most spectacular effort as he deputised for injured left wing Liam Kay.

Ridyard's kick made it 36-32 and that should have been enough for the Centurions to effectively seal the title but some scruffy play from Leigh and intelligent kicking by the Bulls forced three sets of possession.

Leigh wilted with Caro diving past Pownall in the corner for his hat-trick.

Shaw missed the conversion and there was more drama as Leigh twice went for a winning score, ignoring the drop-goal until the final minute.

Ridyard saw his effort blocked from 30 metres but Bradford then threw one final play that saw them go beyond half-way, only for McNally to recover an inside kick and the hooter sounded with the teams dead-locked.

Team: McNally, Higson, Worthington, Armstrong, Pownall; Ridyard, Brierley; Moimoi, Beswick, Hock, Dixon, Goulden, Emmett. Subs: Barlow, Spencer, Hopkins, Higham.

Referee: James Child

Attendance: 9,181.