LEIGH Centurions slumped to their 16th consecutive Super League defeat this season with a 46-10 loss to Leeds Rhinos and remain relegation favourites.

They sowed spirit in the first half, responding to two early Leeds tries - but fell away in the second half.

Interim head coach Kurt Haggerty said: "We lost Matty Russell, we lost Keanan Brand and we lost Matty Foster, so we lost three players in one game, which is pretty much unheard of.

"Once we had lost those boys, we had to reshuffle because we had already lost Adam Sidlow and Liam Hood in the week.

"We were down to one substitute in the last 30 minutes of the game.

"If we had kept more bodies on the field then I think it would have been a different chat and a different scoreline."

Kruise Leeming's cleverly delayed pass allowed Zane Tetevano to crash over the line from close range.

Rhyse Martin added the conversion to make it 6-0 but moments later Gale was forced off through injury and replaced by Brad Dwyer.

The switch saw Leeming move into the halves alongside Rob Lui but soon after the Rhinos thought they had claimed a second try.

Lui's offload sent Martin over the line inside the right channel but his pass was slightly forward and the score was chalked off.

Leigh second-rower Matty Foster was forced off for a head injury assessment and replaced by Matty Gee before Leeds scored a second try in the 20th minute.

Harry Newman and Dwyer combined to send Tom Briscoe over in the right corner but Martin could not convert, ending a run of 34 successful conversion attempts.

Spirited Leigh responded when Gee showed impressive strength to force his way over the line before a tackle by Tetevano on Matty Russell saw the Leigh winger forced off, with the incident placed on report by referee Robert Hicks.

Leeds led 10-6 at half-time but scored a fine third try in the 47th minute when Richie Myler's superb pass sent Briscoe diving over in the right corner for his second of the evening.

Three minutes later, loose forward Cameron Smith collected possession and scampered over after fine work from Leeming and Ash Handley.

Martin converted and then added a penalty to make it 24-6 before Leigh claimed a second try when James Bell's pass sent Gee over again, although Craig Mullen's conversion rebounded off a post.

But Lui then scampered over from close range to score and Dwyer burst clear to cross before Handley touched down in the left corner and Leeming did likewise in the last minute, with Martin ending up with seven goals.