Storm troopers!

Tougher tests may lie just around the corner, but all the signs are there that Abram is moulding a team that's a cut above the rest.

A steady improvement since day one has seen Leigh take a stranglehold on their Arriva Trains qualifying group. The team's development is plain to see and another thoroughly professional job against a committed, if limited, Swinton only underlines Leigh's potential.

Not even a howling gale and a hail storm could blow them off course as they cruised to a fifth straight Arriva Trains win.

With the midfield triangle of John Duffy, Paul Rowley and Ian Knott on the top of their games, Leigh had little trouble in notching up a fourth half-century of points in the competition so far.

In total Leigh managed 12 tries and had conditions been more favourable, their margin of victory would have been even greater.

"It was good to see us rattle up the points again and only concede six," said a satisfied coach Abram.

"We are now starting to look dangerous all across the field and teams have got to defend well to keep us out."

With Rowley, Duffy, Knott and company calling the shots, Leigh seem a class apart at the moment but Abram is promising even more improvement as the season progresses.

"Things are starting to fall into place," he said. "But it doesn't happen by chance. The players have worked extremely hard and are now starting to reap the rewards. But there's still a lot more improvement to come from us."

Although Rowley, Duffy and Knott ran the show, Tommy Martyn was a key figure. With opposing teams concentrating on trying to keep him quiet, it allows Leigh's other play-makers to weave their magic.

Rowley's eye for an opening brought him a try under the posts inside six minutes to set Leigh on their way to another landslide victory.

Neil Turley, in an unaccustomed wing position for the first half, wasn't as effective as he usually is with ball in hand, but still made a significant contribution with the boot, landing nine from 12 in unfavourable conditions.

Swinton probably realised they were in for a long, hard afternoon when Rowley and Duffy worked a tap penalty play to send Dan Potter through a yawning gap for Leigh's second try in the 14th minute.

A burst of three tries in eight minutes ended the game as a meaningful contest.

Chris Percival picked off a wayward Swinton pass close his own line and went 90 metres into the teeth of the gale; a lightning break from inside his own half by Rowley sent Duffy across for the first of his hat-trick and moments later Duffy's perfect pass got Knott over for the first of his treble.

At 28-0 scored at a point a minute, Swinton were looking down the barrel of a real hammering.

But with Tau Liku driving strongly and impressive second rower Danny Heaton refusing to take a backward step, they plugged their leaky defence until just before half time when ex-Leigh winger Chris Irwin fumbled close to his own line and the alert Knott scooped up to dive in for his second and an interval lead of 34-0.

A poor start to the second half by the Lions was punished severely as Leigh added another four tries in the first 15 minutes.

Knott prised the defence open for Rowley to send Duffy under the posts; a training ground move involving Duffy and Knott worked like clockwork as the skipper sailed clean through to complete his hat-trick; Martyn's long cut-out pass got Percival crashing through for his second and Rowley's astute pass gave Duffy the chance to force his way over to complete his treble.

With a 56-0 lead Leigh lost some of their intensity for a while and were made to pay for some untidy tryline defence when Heaton muscled his way under the posts for a try goaled by Craig Wingfield.

As conditions worsened Leigh picked up the pace again. Twice in the final nine minutes they worked space on the left for winger Damian Munro to got in, the first of which Turley improved magnificently from the sideline.

The final whistle, when it came in the middle of a hail storm, would have come as a blessed relief for the Lions.

Scorers: Leigh - Tries: Rowley (6), Potter (14), Percival (20, 50), Duffy (26, 44, 55), Knott (28, 37, 47), Munro (71, 76). Gls: Turley 9/12.

Swinton - Try: Heaton. Gl: Wingfield 1/1.

Leigh: Alstead; Turley, Halliwell, Percival, Munro; Duffy, Martyn; Knox, Rowley, Cruckshank, Larder, Potter, Knott. Subs (all played): Coates, Norman, McConnell, Callan.

Swinton: English; Llewellyn, Bolton, Maye, Irwin; Hodson, Ayres; Liku, Barraclough, Whittaker, Cushion, Heaton, Smith. Subs (all used): Haydon, Cannon, Brett, Wingfield.

Penalties conceded: Leigh 9, Swinton 12.

Handling errors: Leigh 15, Swinton 9.

Half time: 34-0

Full time: 66-6

Attendance: 1475

Referee: Gareth Hewer (Whitehaven).

Man

rALMOST impossible to split Rowley, Duffy and Knott but Rowley probably just edged it by virtue of the meters he gained out of dummy half. Teams know he's going to go it, but stopping him is another matter.

Moan

rTHE first day of spring brought some of the worst weather of the winter - if that's not a contradiction. Whatever, it's no fun playing or watching on a day like that.

rNEIL Turley's late conversion from the touchline. Although he was wind assisted, he had no right to kick that. Such was the strength of the wind that the ball was in danger of demolishing the scoreboard.