LEIGH started the first of five successive away days with a long overdue 34-16 win at Wheldon Road to push Castleford deeper into relegation trouble.

Adrian Lam’s side scored six tries, including two apiece for Josh Charnley and Lachlan Lam, on the way to a first victory on Tigers’ territory since 1987.

Leopards started and finished a lively contest on the front foot with three tries in the opening 23 minutes and two more in the last quarter.

But they didn’t have things all their own way against Andy Last’s hosts now just two points clear of bottom side Wakefield.

Leigh led 18-0 and 22-16 but needed Charnley and Lam to calm frayed nerves. Even with the game won the visitors defended superbly with Charnley and Joe Mellor producing two try saving tackles.

Injury to in-form prop Robbie Mulhern saw Ben Nakubuwai take his place in the starting team. There was no Dan Norman, recalled by St Helens, either for the visitors.

Tigers were boosted by Liam Watts’ availability after the club successfully challenged the prop’s initial two-game ban. Watts took his place in the front row for his 300th Super League appearance.

Cas attacked the Railway End in the opening period And it needed Zak Hardaker’s sturdy tackle to bring down Jordan Turner near the try line.

Nakabuwai and Ben Reynolds went close at the opposite end while Miller lost the ball stretching for the line during the even early stages.

The game was played at a cracking pace in broiling conditions. And Tigers’ line speed initially denied Leopards’ fabled attack.

But Gareth Widdop’s fumble of Lam’s kick behind his own line eventually led to Tom Amone crashing over Edwin Ipape’s offload despite home appeals of a forward pass.

Leopards struck again three minutes later this time skipper John Asiata supplying the killer pass to Lachlan Lam. Reynolds goaled both.

Suddenly, Leigh were running riot and Gareth O’Brien’s perfectly timed entrance into the line and pass saw Tom Briscoe add his name to the scoreboard.

So, there was a rude awakening when ex England and Warrington star Gareth Widdop collected Riley Dean’s kick to score and then convert.

Ipape exited the action with a groin strain and there was further pain when Leopards conceded again before the break.

Asiata was penalised for a late tackle on Miller and Kenny Edwards’ superb offload sent in young winger Elliot Wallis. Widdop again added the extras.

Leigh though crucially responded at the start of the second period. Favouring their prolific left edge, O’Brien’s ball allowed Charnley to brush aside Widdop to score his 21st try of the season. Reynolds missed his first kick of the night.

Castleford still weren’t finished and Widdop’s delightfully floated pass was comfortably finished by Wallis for his second of the night. Widdop hit an upright with his conversion attempt.

That was as close as Tigers came to pulling off a great escape. O’Brien supplied a pass that bounced favourably into Charnley’s grasp for the winger’s 22st of the season.

And Lam put the result beyond doubt 12 minutes from time to seal the points. Even then the players’ biggest celebration was for Joe Mellor’s last second, last ditch tackle to deny Bureta Faraimo a consolation score.

Teams: Castleford: Widdop; Faraimo, Broadbent, Turner, Wallis; Dean, Miller; Watts, Johnstone, Griffin, Edwards, Mellor, Westerman; substitutes: Sutcliffe, Mustapha, Robb, Hall.

Tries: Widdop (31), Wallis (39, 46).

Goals: Widdop 2/3.

Leigh: O’Brien; Briscoe, Hardaker, Leutele, Charnley; Reynolds, Lam; Amone, Ipape, Nakubuwai, Chamberlain, Holmes, Asiata; substitutes: Mellor, Hughes, Davis, Wilde.

Tries: Amone (17), Lam (19, 68), Briscoe (23), Charnley (43, 64).

Goals: Reynolds 5/6.

Referee: Liam Moore.

Half-time: 12-18.

Attendance: 6,344...