Leigh Centurions 64 Batley Bulldogs 6.
Rampant Leigh produced an 11-try, champion like performance to mark the end of the regular Betfred Championship season and help issue in a new era for the nation.
Centurions’ 25th successive league victory was preceded by a minute’s silence in memory of Queen Elizabeth II and followed by the National Anthem; the firstly impeccably observed; the latter-with unfamiliar words- sang lustily.
Then it was business as usual by Adrian Lam’s outstanding side now only 160 minutes away from a Super League return.
Krisnan Inu scored two tries and kicked 10 goals for 28 points while Aaron Smith and Kai O’Donnell also crossed for doubles as Leigh celebrated the presentation of the League Leaders’ Shield from RFL chief executive Ralph Rimmer in style.
Leigh now have a two-week preparation for a play-off semi-final at LSV on September 25.
Edwin Ipape was the main exclusion from Lam’s latest line-up with John Asiata and Ben Reynolds returning-the latter back after a five-game injury lay-off.
Within four minutes Aussie forward Kai O’Donnell began the rout. Batley thought they had levelled after 12 minutes but Johnny Campbell’s effort was chalked off for obstruction by referee Liam Moore.
Centurions showed the visitors how to finish in the next attack; Blake Ferguson touching down in front of the Bulldogs’ fans. Inu goaled both and Leigh led 12-0.
From the re-start, Leigh scored a third try; owing everything to Lachlan Lam’s bullet pass and Nene Macdonald’s brilliant catch and offload to winger Inu.
Aaron Smith’s 21st minute effort was less picture book but his scoot from dummy half still brought another four points.
Caleb Aekins joined in the points spree after 28 minutes thanks to O’Donnell’s sweet offload.
Full-back Aekins’ dazzling footwork and the brute force of try scorer Macdonald saw Leigh add their sixth try before the break. Inu made it six from six with the boot.
The start to the second half was less impressive e with Inu kicking out on the full and Ferguson initially floored and side-lined briefly by a mis timed tackle on Campbell.
He returned but spilled a high ball from Tom Gilmore that saw the ex-Widnes half back touchdown after 46 minutes.
Leigh finally clicked back into gear with Lam’s latest humdinger of a pass sending in Inu at the corner. The winger landed his seventh goal prior to Ferguson exiting the action and Josh Charnley taking over.
A Reynolds stumble and forward pass yards from the Bulldogs’ line denied Leigh what would have been a stunning length of the field touch down. Then Joe Mellor was denied a knock on.
Try number eight finally arrived with 16 minutes left courtesy of O’Donnell’s power and single mindedness close to the try line.
Smith’s double in front of the North Standers came via yet another Lam assist before Charnley and Reynolds rounded off the victory in expert fashion.
Leigh: Aekins; Inu, Chamberlain, Macdonald, Ferguson; Lam, Mellor; Sidlow, Smith, Amone, O’Donnell, Stone, Asiata; substitutes: Ioane, Nakubuwai, Charnley, Reynolds.
Tries: O’Donnell (4, 64), Ferguson (13), Inu (17, 52), Smith (21, 69), Aekins (28), Macdonald (40), Charnley (76), Reynolds (80).
Goals: Inu 10/11.
Batley: Hooley; Johnson, Morton, Senior, Campbell; White, Gilmore; Gledhill, Blake, Brown, Manning Walshaw, Reilly, substitutes: Meadows, Lillycrop, Flynn, Ward.
Tries: Gilmore (46) Goals: Hooley 1/1.
Referee: Liam Moore.
Half-time: 36-0.
Attendance: 3,481.
Pictures: Richard Walker.
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