BATLEY 8, LEIGH CENTURIONS 25: Scrum-half John Duffy almost single-handedly steered Leigh through to the fifth round of the Powergen Challenge Cup and a home clash with Halifax.

Duffy played a vital role in four of Leigh's five tries as they produced a strong second half against the National League One side.

But it was never as easy as the scoreboard would suggest.

Leigh only led 10-4 at half time and when Bulldogs immediately pulled a try back at the start of the second half, Leigh looked as though they were in for a torrid 40 minutes playing up the considerable slope.

They had a let-off when Batley loose-forward Ryan Horsley knocked on with the line wide open and blow a try that would have put the Bulldogs in front.

Leigh rode their luck and booked a fifth round home tie against Halifax with two tries from substitute James King.

Batley had gone ahead as early as the fourth minute when Horsley prised open the defence and Adrian Flynn scored wide out.

Leigh had the better field position but could do nothing with it until the 16th minute when Duffy's inside pass gave Neil Turley the chance to stretch through a couple of tackles to score. His conversion put Leigh ahead 6-4.

Two minutes from the break Leigh broke Batley's right-hand side defence and a short ball from Duffy sent Ian Knott charging over.

With the injured Turley replaced at half time, Leigh were still adjusting to the positional changes when Batley struck. Barry Eaton's grubber kick to the line took a wicked bounce off a Leigh defender and Flynn was over for his second.

With the bit between their teeth, the Bulldogs went for the kill but Horsley's horrendous miss knocked some of the stuffing out of them.

Leigh held their nerve and breathed a little easier when Duffy found a rampaging King who skittled a couple of defenders before crossing for a try improved by John Wilshere.

Richard Marshall added a field goal before King scored his second on the back of a long break by Mike Govin.

Three minutes from time they wrapped things up when Duffy's vision saw him float a long pass out for Wilshere to stroll in from 20 metres.

Leigh: Turley (6); Wilshere (6), Cooper (6), Jackson (6), Maden (6); Kent (7), Duffy (9); Sturm (7), Govin (6), Fleary (6), Stapleton (8), Knott (7), Leafa (7). Subs: Marshall (7), Smyth (6), King (8), Taylor (6).

Referee: Ian Smith (Oldham)