Leigh Centurions 38 Chorley Lynx 20 by Mike Hulme

PAUL Terzis didn't even attempt to defend the indefensible.

Leigh's head coach wasn't in complimentary mood after emerging from the Centurions' dressing room after giving his players the rounds of the kitchen.

"The defensive aspect of our performance isn't acceptable at this club and I've told the players that in no uncertain terms," revealed the angry coach.

Terzis had watched helplessly as Leigh saw a commanding 38-6 lead whittled away by an enthusiastic Chorley side who thoroughly enjoyed making their illustrious neighbour squirm.

A flurry of three tries in eight minutes completed Leigh's embarrassment in a second half in which they hardly got out of first gear.

"We've spoken about certain defensive issues after the game, but talk's cheap. We have to go out in our next match and prove that we've learned the lessons," added Terzis.

"While the most important issue is to win games, we want to win with some style. The only thing today proved is that we need to work harder and harder on our defence.

"In the last three matches we have conceded 28, 20 and 20 points. That's not what this club is about and the standard we set ourselves."

Without doubt the happier of the two coaches was Chorley's Darren Abram who left Hilton Park in unhappy circumstances in the off-season.

"Leigh are a so-called team of Super League standard. You wouldn't have thought so today," he said. "I just told my players to go out and enjoy themselves and they've done me proud.

"We didn't perform too cleverly in the first half but we were certainly the more dominant team after half time."

For Leigh's part they couldn't have put together two more contrasting halves had they tried.

For the first 40 minutes and the opening exchanges of the second they were head and shoulders above Chorley, scoring seven tries and looked like going on to post a big victory to extend their unbeaten record in the Arriva Trains National Cup.

T

he wheels started to fall off when the Pat Weisner/John Duffy half back combination was broken up. Until the point the pair had consistently prised opened the Chorley defence, creating countless running chances fort the likes of Hadcroft, Cardoza, Richardson and Rivett in particular.

Once Leigh had lost their shape, their defences melted away and Chorley finished strongly without ever looking like winning the game.

Weisner was a major influence in the first half, helping set up three of Leigh's first five tries. His sweet pass put Richardson in the clear after just seven minutes, the second rower sending Leroy Rivett in at the corner.

Another Weisner pass brought the best try of the game. Dale Cardoza exploded through a gap deep inside his own half, stepped out of Mick Redford's attempted tackle and sprinted clear to the posts. Half-back partner Duffy set up Leigh's third try in the 14th minute, chipping accurately over the top for Paul Rowley to touch down. Two goals from Duffy made it 16-0 at better than a point a minute.

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n inkling of what was to come in the second half came when hard-working prop Simon Smith stretched through some soft defending for a try under the posts. John Braddish added the goal points.

Leigh showed that with ball in hand that they could create tries form next to nothing. Sonny Nickle's one-handed pass sent Duffy racing clear to the posts and when Weisner again got involved in centre field, Willie Swann's fancy footwork took him clean through for another six pointer.

The tone of the game continued in the opening minutes of the second half. Richardson produced one storming break to set up Bryan Henare for a first try in Leigh colours and not long afterwards Weisner and Lee Sanderson worked an opening for Rivett to squeeze in at the corner to give Leigh a 38-6 lead.

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ut just when they had appeared to have the match won, Leigh tried their best to lose it.

Three times in eight minutes Chorley showed how vulnerable Leigh's defence can be when it isn't switched on.

The loudest cheer of the day went to Tim Street as the ex-Leigh favourite burrowed his way over for a trademark try. Hooker Mike Briggs sprinted under the bar unchallenged not long afterwards and 10 minutes from time Braddish made the running for winger Marlon Miller's try.

Leigh weren't exactly hanging on at the end - but they were hanging their heads.

SCORERS

Leigh: Tries - Rivett (7mins, 56); Cardoza (10), Rowley (14), Duffy (27), Swann (33), Henare (52), Rivett (56). Gls: Duffy 5/6, Sanderson 0/1.

Chorley: Tries - Smith (22), Street (62), Briggs (65), Miller (70). Gls: Braddish 2/4.

TEAMS

Leigh: Watts; Rivett, Munro, Cardoza, Hadcroft; Weisner, Duffy; Nickle, Rowley, Ball, Richardson, Henare, Bristow. Subs used: Swann, Sanderson, Hamilton, Holdstock.

Chorley: Ramsdale; Miller Redford, Kilgannon, Garcia; Coates, Braddish; Street, Briggs, Smith, Bloor, McConnell, Hodson. Subs used: Parry, Newton, Rowley, Roden.

Penalties conceded: Leigh 12, Chorley 8.

Handling errors: Leigh 11, Chorley 11.

Half time: 28-6

Attendance: 1871

Referee: Steve Nicholson (Whitehaven).

Star man

rLITTLE Aussie half-back Pat Weisner is now starting to show the sort of form that persuaded Leigh to bring him half way round the world. Bright and inventive in attack and a strong kicking game, Weisner can also defend a bit.

Magic

rWEISNER'S pass and Dale Cardoza's thundering solo try from 60 metres out. It lit up an otherwise colourless performance.

rThe 56th to 80th minutes when Leigh didn't manage a single point while leaking tries like a sieve close to their own line.